The Call
by LilyGhost
Summary: Random Ranger thoughts on becoming a father again. This is my Babe contribution to the 100 (ish) word challenge. Told from Ranger's POV.
1. Chapter 1

**All characters belong to Janet. **

"Ranger ... it's time."

"Where are you?" I asked, my fingers clenching the wheel.

"On my way to the hospital. Tank picked me up and deposited me in his vehicle. I guess he's bringing me in."

"I'm thirty minutes from St. Francis."

"You need to find a shortcut then."

"I'll do what I can, Babe. Just hold on. I'm coming."

I made a U-turn and sent a mental _fuck you _to the FTA I'd been scheduled to grab. I suddenly have something more important to do than apprehend a fuckhead for cash.

This is a moment that's been _months _in the making, and _nothing _will prevent me from missing the birth of my second daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Apparently, I got attached to Ranger and Steph's daughter so I figure I'll periodically add to their story while trying to stick to a hundred words or so per chapter. Anyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

"I'm dying," Steph bit out.

"No, you're giving birth, Babe. A few more minutes and she'll be here with us."

"Can't she be impatient like me and be here ... _now_!"

The last word was said on a pain-filled moan, as the dark-haired head of our daughter entered the room.

"One more, Steph," I said, splitting my attention between her and my child's entrance into the world.

"_I can't!"_

"You will."

And with one more push, two cries filled the room simultaneously.

My focus was once again divided. I wanted to kiss both Steph and Olivia more than I wanted to breathe.


	3. Chapter 3

**Stephanie, Ranger, and Julie belong to Janet. Olivia and the story are mine.**

Some people need someone to live for, and I now have three of them. Stephanie, Julie, and the newest edition to our family ... six-pound, eleven-ounce Olivia.

"She looks just like a little Olive, doesn't she?" Steph asked, not lifting her eyes from our first and likely only child together.

"She's perfect."

"This is really happening?"

"Yes. We made a baby and they're even letting us take her home."

"_Home_. It has become one, hasn't it?"

"Since you and Rex moved in a year ago."

"When do we get to go back?"

"When the doctor clears you both."

"What's he waiting for then?"

"You to let her go?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much for your guest and member reviews, and for indulging me by reading this little story I didn't plan on, yet couldn't help adding to. As always, Ranger and Stephanie belong to Janet. **

"The nurse can try taking her away from me, but that's kidnapping ... _newborn_napping in this case."

"Babe," I said, brushing my fingertips over our daughter's cheek.

Her tiny lips puckered, but she remained asleep. My stomach squeezed painfully. I'm with Steph, if anyone tries touching her, they'll be lucky if I only kill them.

"What was that face?" She asked me.

"I disturbed her sleep."

"Not Olive's, _yours_. I know she wasn't exactly planned ..."

No, she wasn't. I looked up at her, then down at 'Olive' again. I've learned the best things usually aren't.


	5. Chapter 5

**Stephanie and Ranger still belong to Janet. **

"I wasn't expecting her, either," Steph said.

"I know. Olivia was a surprise to everyone."

She went to say something, but I leaned further over the bed, bending my head to hers to stop the blame she's about to lay on herself.

"It doesn't matter how she got here, Babe. I'm just glad she did."

"You mean that?"

"Yes. I sucked as a father once. I don't intend to repeat that."

She kissed the little pink cap. "You're going to be the best dad to her. I know it."

She always has more faith in me than I have in myself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ranger and Stephanie are Janet's. Olivia and this story are products of my imagination.**

The morning in question, I was up early. When I'd left our bed, Steph was still asleep. I'd just picked up the Bulgari when the glass door opened and a naked Stephanie joined me. There'd been no condoms or cares that day, and we found out about Olivia seven-weeks later.

It was the best fucking shower of my life, seeing how confident Steph was when she took me first in her mouth, then into her body. I didn't remain quiet when she said maybe she should've stayed in bed that day, forgetting she wasn't alone in that shower. I don't see a use for _if-onlys, _and it took considerable patience from me and some tears for her before we both agreed ... we couldn't change the past, but we _can _embrace our future.


	7. Chapter 7

**Ranger, Stephanie, and Tank belong solely to Janet. Only Olivia is mine. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. :)  
**

My family respected the fact that I wanted this birth to be a private one. And I know without giving the order, Tank's ass will stay in the waiting room until they're discharged to keep Stephanie's parents from intruding on this moment.

"She's going to feel more 'protected' than I ever could, isn't she?" Steph asked, reading my mind as she gently touched the wavy, dark strands of our baby's hair.

"Yes."

Olivia will learn how to defend herself, who she can trust, and what will happen to that person if she trusts the wrong one. The men I employ are employees for a reason. They - combined with my, my family, and Steph's influence - will make little 'Olive' a force to be reckoned with.


	8. Chapter 8

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

"Tank, this is Olive," Steph told him.

"Olive?" He asked, looking over at me.

I shrugged. She and I had decided on a name. We never discussed possible nicknames.

"Yes," she said defensively.

Now Tank shrugged. We're both thinking the same thing. The name doesn't matter. The fact that she's here and healthy is all that does.

"Here," he told me, tossing a pink camo teddy bear that's bigger than she is with 'Olivia' embroidered over its heart. "I need both hands for the kid."

Steph's smile as she passed our daughter to him was almost contagious.


	9. Chapter 9

**Ranger and Stephanie still belong to Janet.**

Steph's not a fan of 'girly' clothes, but did put Olivia in soft pink pajamas with bear-faced feet to go home in. Both made it through getting her dressed. I think they're excited to get out of the hospital and on with their lives.

We called our families, but arranged for them to visit only _after_ we're settled in. This is going to be as big an adjustment for us as being born was to our daughter. I've always loved a good challenge, and being a father to my children will be the most rewarding one.

The men Steph's closest to were waiting in the lobby for us, and Olivia slept through half of their congratulations. When she did open her big brown eyes, like her mother Olivia perked up whenever she heard how beautiful she is. Steph calls me biased, but they're right. When I noticed Stephanie looking uncomfortable, I escorted my new family upstairs.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for all the reviews for this little story of mine. I was thinking of continuing it past this chapter, but got sidetracked by other stories so I'm calling it complete for now. Everyone familiar belongs to Janet. **

Stephanie unlocked the door and I carried Olivia and our things inside. Ella and my mother are chomping at the bit to get their hands on my women, so alone time will be scarce from this point on.

Steph had our kid unbuckled and was walking her through the apartment to the animal-themed nursery I scrambled to arrange.

"Welcome to your new home, Olivia Adora Manoso. I promise, you're going to love it here as much as I do." Then she turned to me, her eyes going even softer. "Happy birthday a day early, Ranger."

I pressed my lips first to our daughter's head, then took Steph's mouth in a hard kiss. I've already accepted the gift she's given me ... knowing I'll never need another one.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ranger and Stephanie are still Janet's. I can only take credit for the typos and the blame for not being able to let this story go.**

I eat right, work out religiously, and have read everything I could find in order to be prepared for taking care of a newborn, but words on a page are a poor precursor to the reality of it. I feel almost as exhausted as Steph looks.

"How does something so small cry that loud?" She asked, fumbling for the lamp's on switch.

"It's a mystery."

As I watched her pick up Olivia and come back to bed, I slid up on my pillow and took in the sight of her feeding our daughter. I have new appreciation for what her body can do now. Steph can make me come with one squeeze after entering her, and she can also grow and sustain a life single-handedly.


	12. Chapter 12

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

Stephanie chose to take only a few days off from her part-time cubby, not the standard maternity leave. And she ventured down to the fifth floor with Olivia sooner than I would've preferred. I knew she wouldn't be able to stay in the apartment - her mind needs constant stimulation - so she and Olive were on the move as soon as they could be, interacting with Ella and the men.

My crew were more than pleased to fuss over Olivia while Steph questioned me about the day ahead. She's probably anxious to be back on the street, but that's not today ... or any day in the future if I can put her unique skills to better use.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ranger and Stephanie still belong to Janet.**

"Your mother's right," Steph said, one day before work. "Olivia looks like Julie. The Manoso genes are potent."

"No, that's our sex appeal, Babe."

She paused in getting Olivia dressed in a purple Ranger's hockey onesie and unbelievably small matching sweatpants.

"You being a walking, talking Cuban sex God _did_ help in creating her."

"We were together many times before she was conceived."

"Okay, so you're super hot and I can't resist you. Now we're on a month-long hiatus. Considering Olive's hatred of sleep, it may be even longer than that."

My daughter and I will have to have a talk during the next diaper change and reach a compromise when it comes to sharing Stephanie's time. Olivia being equal parts of us both, I know she'll be willing to work out a deal.


	14. Chapter 14

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

We were sitting in bed, enjoying the morning before more relatives arrived, when I brought up the subject of Stephanie's employment. Her bare feet were planted on the mattress and she had Olivia propped up against her bent legs, the tiny fingers curling around one of mine. Steph herself was comfortably tucked under my stretched out arm.

"What do you mean I no longer work for Vinnie?" She asked, not sounding upset like I'd been expecting.

Olivia has worked wonders on both our temperaments. All things were suddenly slammed into perspective. My main goal has always been to protect Stephanie, and that compulsion had tripled ever since her shaking body handed me that positive pregnancy test.


	15. Chapter 15

**I didn't plan it, but this turned into a three-part conversation. Everything familiar is Janet's.**

"It's _never _been safe for you to partner with Lula. As the father of your baby, I think I have a small say in your employment choice ... because I don't want to raise her alone."

"You're not telling me to stop working, are you?" She asked, after a tense moment of studying me, then Olivia.

"No. I'd just prefer you to work exclusively for Rangeman. That way, if you feel like hitting the street, you'll be protected by men who've had years of survival/combat training."

She kissed Olivia's face in a T pattern. Three lip-presses across her small forehead, one to the tip of her turned-up nose, and the last landing on the tiny chin.

"Had you _asked_, I would've told you that I already spoke to Vinnie, and informed him that - if the owners agree - I'd be working solely for you. Not everything needs to be an order or a deal, Ranger."

I was too relieved to be annoyed at the reprimand.


	16. Chapter 16

**Stephanie and Ranger are still Janet's.**

"I promised myself that if you and Olivia made it to - and through - the delivery, I'd take over from there."

"Ranger, as much as you'd like to believe it, you aren't solely responsible for the fate of the world."

"Maybe not _the world_, but my corner of it."

She sighed and kissed Olivia's hand. I was resisting the urge to hold her myself. Then I realized I don't have to resist _anything _anymore. I leaned over and picked up my daughter, her pastel-flowered sundress a welcome splash of color against my still bare chest.

Steph and I figured out that dresses are far easier when it comes to diaper changing. Aside from a red shirt or blue dress, Steph's side of the closet resembles mine, mostly uniforms and dark-colored clothes. Olivia's closet is different. Steph joked about it looking like a rainbow threw up in it, but my daughter can make anything look good, even me.


	17. Chapter 17

**Everything familiar belongs to Janet. **

I worried that I'd have to forcefully try to bond with Olivia as I had with Julie, but the knot in my stomach was immediate when she started crying on five after Lester asked to hold her. I'd been talking to Tank at the time, and even though I knew Stephanie was with her, my head whipped around the second her displeased voice filled the control room.

I looked first to Olivia's reddening face and the hands she had balled into tiny fists, then at Lester. Steph said my eyes were scary when she laid a soothing hand on our daughter's head. Lester must've agreed, because he almost dropped Olive when he caught my stare. And _that _would've led to something far worse than a glare. Anyone causes my daughters pain, I'll cause it right back.


	18. Chapter 18

**Ranger and Stephanie are still Janet's.  
**

"Have you changed your mind about getting married?" I asked Steph, disturbing the peace in our bedroom.

"No ... I mean I'll _definitely_ marry you if you consider that a deal-breaker at some point, but I want Olive to see that you don't have to be married to be happy."

"Which is the crap your mother pushed on you and Valerie."

"Yeah. Dickie cured me of that way of thinking. I'd like her to know she has options. You and I love each other, and that's more than enough for me. I want to set a good example for her, but I also want her to do things _her_ way if she feels differently about something."

The Burg had done a number on Stephanie, but she's been flipping off their traditions and rebuilding herself from the ground up. Olivia couldn't have a better role model than this woman curled up against me.


	19. Chapter 19

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

Despite Stephanie's current views on a paper marriage, I did buy her a ring right after we'd chosen a name for our daughter. I wanted it clear that, while I'll always respect her opinions and decisions, I'm devoted to her and Olivia. The thin diamond-set band and matching diamond-lined 'O' for Olivia at its center, is as much a vow to me as the ones taken inside a church.

My body, time, and non-business thoughts, are hers ... and Stephanie knows I expect the same from her in return. That she immediately kissed me before sliding my purchase onto her left ring finger, left no doubt in my mind that we're on the same page regarding our commitment to each other and our child.


	20. Chapter 20

**Ranger and Steph are Janet's.**

At one-thirty-six A.M., half hour after we got Olivia back to sleep again, Steph's side of the bed was still empty. I got up and found her sitting at the bar in the kitchen.

"Why aren't you in bed with me?"

She jumped, but her sleepy eyes looked happy to see me.

"I thought of something I wanted to do for Olive. Since I'm too tired to sleep ... now's a good time. Sorry I bugged you."

"You didn't. I was waiting for you." I nodded to the screen in front of her. "What are you doing?"

"I set up an email account for Olivia."

"_Now?_"

"Yep. I'm going to fill it with pictures, her milestones, messages to her, and our thoughts on being her parents. When she's eighteen, we'll give her the password."

My surprise was immediate, but stayed internal. The woman who can't make a lunch decision is now planning almost two decades into our future.


	21. Chapter 21

**Everything familiar is Janet's.**

I heard Olivia cough and I turned my head slightly to check the time. Two-fourteen A.M. I didn't move further in case she'd stay - or fall back - asleep. The following cry was soft, like she was only testing us to see if we'd react. I did. Steph needs the rest ... unless Olivia's hungry, she won't have to be disturbed if I move my ass.

I untangled myself from Stephanie and slid two hands under the slight weight of my daughter, spanning her from neck to diaper. I climbed carefully back into bed with her, and she moved her dark head along the skin of my chest until it was resting beneath my chin, her silky hair catching in my two o'clock stubble. Her brown eyes had looked trustingly up at me from her bassinet, and as my presence soothed her to sleep again, I swore that trust would never be misplaced.


	22. Chapter 22

**Ranger and Stephanie belong to Janet.**

**"**Oh ... she's absolutely_ gorgeous!_" My mother exclaimed. "Look at that head of hair! And_ that face! And those cheeks!_ I _wholeheartedly_ agree with her middle name. I can barely stand how _adora_ble she is."

A grin threatened. "You saw her just yesterday."

She drew Olivia closer, then glared at me over her head. "You don't think my granddaughter can grow cuter daily?"

Steph circled my waist from behind and spoke into my spine. "Smile and sloooowly back away."

She and I both know you don't mess with Karmina Manoso's grandchildren.

"You can't not see how precious this child is," my mother continued. "You've had _weeks_ to get to know her. I'm only visiting every other day and _I_ already know that I have the smartest, most beautiful granddaughters."

I see more than that. Olivia's my second chance in multiple ways; of being a father, a better man, and someone Stephanie will never have to doubt again.


	23. Chapter 23

**Everybody familiar belongs to Janet.**

"What are you going to do?" My brother Niko asked.

"About?"

"You have an almost mother-in-law who hates you, a hot 'girlfriend' who deserves better than you, and another beautiful daughter who's going to eventually wreak havoc on your peace of mind."

I've been over those facts multiple times. Helen Plum was hoping for a _Morelli_ baby, Steph's dad still prays daily for whatever will keep his wife quiet, and Stephanie didn't give a fuck about either when she'd told them they were going to be grandparents again. My dick got hard just from thinking of how she stood in their living room that evening, one hand on her barely protruding stomach and the other clenching mine, telling them that what _they_ _think_ doesn't matter in comparison to how _she feels_.

"I'll deal like I always do," I told my younger sibling.

_No one_ interferes with my family. Steph and I are in total agreement on that.


	24. Chapter 24

**Stephanie and Ranger still belong to Janet.**

Though Stephanie and I aren't religious beyond a perfunctory prayer to God that the other stays alive during a job, my parents - as well as hers - are frequent church-goers. So after a thirty-minute discussion over the course of Olivia's bathtime and bedtime, we decided that she'd be christened at my family's church in Newark.

Steph's thinking is that it can't hurt for Olive to have 'a different type of backup'.

"But if she doesn't want any part of it when she's big enough to dig her heels in," she said, recalling her mother's demanding Sunday morning voice, "we aren't making her. _No one _is forcing our kid to do anything she doesn't want to ... except for us when we have to get her up for school."

That was fine by me. And our parents breathed a collective sigh of relief on Olivia's behalf ... at least her soul they have a chance of saving.


	25. Chapter 25

**All familiar characters are Janet's. **

The Sunday of the christening/baptism turned out exceptional. Sunlight's making the stained-glass windows glow, our parents are tolerating each other, and Tank looks fucking ridiculous in a suit holding a white candle the same length as his middle finger. But he didn't bitch about being here.

To prevent inter-family arguing, Steph and I named him and Ella as Olivia's Godparents. He helped me survive my past, and will ensure Olivia thrives in the future. And Steph sees Ella as the mother she wished she'd had. They also satisfy the church's requirements, since they attend Mass whenever they can.

Olivia is heart-stopping in a white satin gown ... her dark eyes, caramel-colored skin, and near-black hair curling along the stretchy white headband, were accentuated by the pristine nature of the color and outfit. I suddenly understood what Niko had been asking me. I'm in serious trouble here. When Olivia screamed as water was poured on her head, I had to stop myself from crushing the priest's airways for startling her.


	26. Chapter 26

**Everyone familiar are Janet's.**

As the forced separation of my body and Stephanie's could be counted down in _days_, it was time to attempt a dad-to-daughter conversation and see if Olivia will be more reasonable than either of her parents.

"We need to work this out soon, Olive. Will you agree to having your mother and I during the day, and letting us take care of each other at night while you actually sleep? That way we'll all get what we need."

The long lashes framing dark eyes so like my own came together briefly, but that was her only response.

"What're you doing?" Steph asked from the doorway.

"Talking."

"Uh-huh. From what I heard, it sounds like you were having a pleading session similar to the one I had with her yesterday."

"I don't beg, Babe."

"Ranger ... look at her. She's going to have you doing things you never thought you would."

When I cupped the back of Olivia's head in my hand after lifting her to my shoulder, her mouth was warm against my neck as she instinctively curled into me.

"She already has."


	27. Chapter 27

**Ranger and Stephanie are Janet's. **

Six weeks will have been worth the wait, I mentally promised Stephanie and myself. I know she's feeling something other than lust now that we're cleared to resume our sex life whenever we choose to. Her body has changed ... and so has her overall way of thinking. My job will be to take a certain level of care with both her body and her mind without losing control of my own.

"She's asleep?" Steph whispered, carefully stepping away from Olivia's bedside crib as if dodging IEDs.

She appeared nervous ... and that's unacceptable to me.

"We don't have to do anything tonight, Babe. I've waited a lot longer for you than a month. And I'm prepared to do it again."

"No ... I want to."

"You're sure?"

Instead of wasting time and words trying to convince me, she stepped close, grabbed my head with both hands, and brought it down to meet her already parting lips.


	28. Chapter 28

**Ranger and Stephanie belong to Janet. Warnings for implied smut.  
**

It was hard to go slow when she clearly wants me as much as I need her. I lowered her to the bed and all but ripped my shirt off. I don't want there to be anything between us, not even material, _tonight_ or any other time. Steph's hands slid all over my bare chest before her fingertips brushed my belt buckle. There's a reason I left my pants on.

I caught her hands in one of mine so she couldn't temp me to override decades worth of discipline, and I worked her clothes off with the other. I'm profoundly grateful that she chose one of my dress shirts to put on after her shower as she anticipated the night ahead. It was unbuttoned and slid out from underneath her a beat later. I kept her restrained until she was writhing on my tongue, only then did I let her go and allow her to take whatever she wanted of me.


	29. Chapter 29

**Ranger and Stephanie are Janet's. Warnings for light smut.**

This time when she went for my pants ... I let her. She unbuttoned them and lowered the zipper slowly down, brushing my body with the backs of her knuckles as she did. As soon as her hand closed tight around me, it was as if our sex ban hadn't been put in place. She squeezed and stroked me one-handed while cupping my jaw in her free hand, our eyes staying connected even in the dark room as she connected us.

She had exploded twice by way of my mouth, then my hands, and we combusted together on her third. The muscles I work so hard at maintaining failed. Still half-dressed and with my heart still racing, I landed heavily on top of her. She curled her arm around my head and threaded her fingers through my hair to ensure my face stayed pressed into her throat. Neither of us moved until Olivia stirred after what felt like an eternity later.


	30. Chapter 30

**Everyone except Olivia belongs to Janet.**

Tank put a hand on Brown's shoulder and shoved. Hard.

"_Hey!_"

"Sucks to be a little guy, doesn't it?" Tank asked him.

"Some mothers don't take human growth hormones when they're carrying."

"We're going to be hanging out down here more and more," Steph told idiots 1 and 2. "You'll all have a chance to bond with Olive. You don't have to fight over her."

"We don't _need_ to bond, we're set," Tank said. "But there's a rule in place ... whoever spots the kid, gets first crack at her. The girl's mine this morning and he needs to accept it and move on."

Steph cut her eyes to me.

"Do you want to try teaching him some manners?" I asked, amused at the thought.

Tank's big, but Stephanie's known for fighting dirty.

"No," she said, passing a happy, gurgling Olivia over to him. "I'm not stupid."

She's proven she's anything but.


	31. Chapter 31

**Everyone familiar is Janet's.**

The office chair groaned under the weight Tank subjected it to, but he didn't notice as he watched Olivia yawn while looking up at him.

"See? You're already boring the shit out of her," Brown told him. "You should only be around for naptime."

"_These _are the men who made Roston James crap himself yesterday?" Steph asked me.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"_She_ won't be seeing that side of us unless she mentions dating," Tank stated.

My head tipped in approval.

"She_ ain't_ dating on our watch," Lester added, walking into our conversation. "I know how boys think ..."

"Because you still are one?" Steph suggested.

"Funny," he replied. "Teenage boys are hornballs. And we're prepared to remove the balls of any boy who looks at our little Olive pit."

"Won't that give her a complex?" Steph asked.

Tank glanced at Olivia when she made a noise while attempting to suck the back of her tiny coffee-colored hand.

"She's perfect," he said. "And she'll always know it."

I couldn't have said it better myself.


	32. Chapter 32

**Stephanie and Ranger are still Janet's.**

"Perfect timing," Steph said, when I stepped out of the bathroom in only cargo pants, my feet and chest bare and my hair still damp from the shower. "You're up."

I felt a strong sense of disappointment as I watched her tug her tank top back down over her breast before kissing Olivia's forehead. I have many roles and titles in life, but the 'master burper' one Steph laid on me hadn't been a consideration. Her explanation had been an interesting one.

_"Your hand covers her entire back. Two gentle taps and she's good. It takes me five minutes of rubbing, thumping, and pleading to get results."_

I crossed the room and tossed my t-shirt onto our bed. I then pressed my lips to Steph's sleep-tangled curls before sliding one hand beneath Olivia's head and another under her lower body, bringing her to my shoulder.

My part in creating our daughter was minimal, and for the moment I can't do much to feed her, but I found out quickly that I do have my uses.


	33. Chapter 33

**Everyone familiar are Janet's.**

My fist connected hard with the jaw of Rueben Aeillo. "You ever think of going for a gun near me or someone associated with me again, you'll be entering St. Francis in a body bag. We clear?"

He spit out a mouthful of blood along with an incisor, but didn't hesitate in nodding as he did.

"What the fuck was that?" Tank asked, when we were back in my truck with Aeillo dead silent in the backseat holding the collar of his stained t-shirt against his mouth.

"Lost my temper."

"No shit. Why? You used to injure dicks like him for fun ... not get pissed _then _injure them."

"I'm not risking Stephanie's wrath if she believes I'm in more danger than she is when I leave the building. She won't point a gun at me, but she's just as effective as one."

Interesting how having a set purpose in life makes you more cautious with it.


	34. Chapter 34

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

As I glanced down at Olivia, I saw that her dark, unruly hair is tamed for the moment, the small sequins creating flowers on her ice blue dress are sparkling as much as her brown eyes, and her tiny rose-colored mouth is opening and closing rapidly as if she has something important to say, but can't find the appropriate words. She suddenly reminded me of Stephanie when she'd been attempting to tell me she loves me for the first time.

"_Hey, Dad! You coming!?"_

Those four shouted words came from my daughter, but not the one in the car seat I'm currently holding. Julie, along with Steph, was waiting impatiently at the elevator for me to get my ass and Olivia moving towards the car. She wanted a professional photo taken of her and her new sister before she heads back to Miami ... and being a smart man who likes relative peace in his life, I try not to deny my women anything.


	35. Chapter 35

**Everyone familiar are Janet's.**

"If it isn't the Mighty Manoso gracing the Burg with his presence. How does it feel to be trapped and actually have to play daddy this time?"

He amuses me despite knowing he prays I stop a bullet with my forehead soon.

"I'm not you, Morelli. I only do what I choose to. Even you aren't stupid enough to believe I'd leave town so you could attempt to manipulate Stephanie using my kid."

"I forgot ... you're the king of self-righteousness. Meanwhile, you put a baby_ in _Stephanie, but won't put a ring _on_ her."

"Can it, Joe," Steph said, coming up behind us, cuddling Olivia close. "Olive doesn't appreciate that tone."

"She's a baby, Babe."

"But she's _our_ baby. If you guys are done, I want to pay for my snacks and go before I start leaking."

Morelli looked uncomfortable which made me smile.

"I'll take care of any moisture your body produces," I said, giving her a once-over that had his molars grinding together.

I slid an arm around her and led away what he delusionally thought was his future.


	36. Chapter 36

**Everyone recognizable are Janet's.**

Morelli may be kicking himself right now, but Steph and I are just kicking back, enjoying our current life. Our daughter seems to be thriving despite our lack of parenting experience. Just from being born, she's brought me and Julie closer, made Stephanie a stronger woman, and has me vowing to be better at everything I do.

"Why are you frowning?" Steph asked.

"I don't frown, Babe."

"You don't smile either, but I can always tell when you're amused. What are you thinking about?"

"Morelli ... and how he wanted what we now have."

She nodded. "You would frown about that. You know there's _never_ going to be anything between Joe and I again, right?"

"Yes."

I won't give her a reason to consider him an option. Our eyes dropped down to where Olivia was eating. I picked up the bare foot that's only slightly bigger than my thumb, and slid my finger along it until Olivia's five tiny toes splayed wide in reaction. If Joe tries to insert himself into my family, I will remove him ... in bits and pieces if necessary.


	37. Chapter 37

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

"We've got a problem," Tank said, coming into my office and closing the door behind him with a definite slam.

"What?"

"Word on the street is Steph's a target again. That repeat-fucker Atom told our guy Pitman that Crux Benton is out."

"The serial stabber?"

"Yeah. He struck again. He knifed the guards during his transport to the State Pen and took off on foot. Before his move, he was heard blaming Steph for sweet-talking his mama into coughing him up."

Stephanie believes she's not as effective inside this building as she could be out of it, but she's equally hell on bad guys using the phone or her gun. Olivia hasn't slowed her down. If anything, Steph's determination has been honed and finely tuned. She wants these assholes off the street ... far away from our daughter and everyone else's.

"I'll have a word with Stephanie while you assemble the team," I told him.

_She_ may be hell, but _I'm_ the devil incarnate.


	38. Chapter 38

**Ranger and Stephanie are Janet's. **

I didn't have to track Stephanie down. She came to me.

"Something's going on, isn't it?" She asked.

Olive's face is in a similar position to how Steph tucks her own into my neck whenever she's apprehensive about something. Steph's still in her confuse-and-schmooze 'uniform' ... black skirt, heels, and a white silk blouse. If her looks and personality didn't fuck with a client's head enough, Olivia in her small black and white dress with matching black cardigan, tights, and tiny buckled shoes, would have them agreeing to anything.

That's Steph's idea of a joke. In the nursery this morning she pointed that out ... _'You've said whoever works here has to be in black. She's my partner today, so she's in Rangeman colors'._

She passed me Olivia just as I was about to reach for her, and kissed me before perching on my desk like she's done ever since she began visiting my building. I pressed my lips to Olive's head and mentally prepared for war.

"Well?" She pressed.

"Seems you're a wanted woman again, Babe."


	39. Chapter 39

**Stephanie and Ranger are Janet's.**

She sighed as if she'd been expecting the other shoe to drop any day now. "Wanted by someone other than you? Who?"

She reached out towards us to fix the collar of Olivia's dress that had folded over, not appearing angry or even worried.

"Remember Crux?" I asked.

"Yeah. I thought he's Jersey's pain in the ass now."

"He would be, but he managed to get himself free."

"Let me guess, he thinks I'm the reason he was put away again."

"Yes."

"I don't want to sound mean or anything, but why isn't he targeting his mother? _She_'s the one who called me back."

"He stabs people for fun, Steph. Logic doesn't come into play here."

With a noise that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, Olivia flung her arms out wide. Steph and I each captured one of her tiny hands. The connection between the three of us is a strong one and I know we'll all get through this unscathed. I was allowed the luxury of that thought for all of three seconds until Stephanie spoke again.

"So ... what's our plan?"


	40. Chapter 40

**Everyone familiar is Janet's.**

"_Our_ plan?" I asked.

Olivia's body tensed and so did Stephanie, but seeing our daughter's reaction lessened her own. She kissed the little fingers circling hers reassuringly.

"Don't go hyper-protective on me yet. Hear me out first."

"I'm listening."

Or trying to.

"What if I finally use the Burg to _my_ advantage and say we have something big planned for Olivia somewhere ... and we just 'accidentally' forget to show up. Crux is mean, but lazy. He'll want to grab me here, but that's impossible so he'll show up at whatever place we pick. The guys - and the police if you include them - can be out there waiting while we're here safe and sound with our daughter.

Her idea has merit, but this is my family to protect and I'm going to personally see to it that Crux can no longer threaten anyone in it.

"I'll set it up," I told her, omitting my role in it.

She'll be mad, but no one is as good as me at sending a message. And Crux will be an unrecognizable example of one once word spreads.


	41. Chapter 41

**Everyone familiar is Janet's.**

Steph decided on Marsilio's as a plausible Burg 'party' spot. I had a word with Bobby V who pulled his strings so I'd be given the go-ahead to rent the entire restaurant for the day for something no one outside my organization will ever know about. I'd arranged for it to be empty - inside and out - except for my people. Steph caught me checking my watch ten minutes before go time.

"You're leaving us, aren't you?"

"Just until this is handled. You belong to me, Babe, and everybody needs to see what will happen to them if you or my children become targets."

"_I'm_ the one Crux is after, yet it's okay for _you_ to put yourself in danger by personally taking him on? You don't honestly think you're less important to Olivia than I am?"

"I don't. She needs both of us, which is why I have to see to this myself so people will know not to mess with me and mine."

"Ranger ..."

"Steph, you and Olive may need me, but I can't live without either of you."


	42. Chapter 42

**Ranger and Stephanie are Janet's.**

Steph studied me until I began feeling uneasy, then she nodded. I don't have to explain my reasoning to her. If we didn't have Olivia to consider, she'd be right there beside me today. And we both know it.

"I'll never forgive you if you get yourself hurt."

"I understand," I said. "And I won't."

If anyone should be worried about staying alive, it's Crux.

She slipped her hand into the front pocket of my pants and grabbed my phone. She pressed her cheek flat against Olivia's and took a picture of the two of them. With a few deliberate taps, she made it my new home screen.

"I can't stop you from wanting to protect us," she told me, "but I _can_ remind you of what you could lose if something goes wrong."

I slid my finger under the pale yellow puffed sleeve on Olivia's dress, inspiring a gummy smile as I tickled the baby-soft skin while I kissed her mother.

"I'll be home by five," I promised them.

Crux won't know what hit him, but everyone else will by then.


	43. Chapter 43

**Everything familiar is Janet's.**

The restaurant appeared full to capacity. It had to. A new baby is a Burg celebration waiting to happen. I'd even arranged to have Vince, Bones, and Cal get Big Blue, Frank's Buick, and Valerie's minivan to Marsilio's so it'd look like Steph's family is in attendance. I had my men pass along a message to the Plums that I'm planning a surprise for their daughter, one that I'll be _extremely unhappy_ to see ruined, just to keep Grandma Mazur and every other nosy Burg resident away. Nothing was left to chance.

Numerous Rangeman vehicles parked throughout the lot are to be expected. Everyone knows I'd never leave my family unprotected. But Crux has no fucking idea that he'll be coming face-to-face with _me_ not Stephanie today. And he's not going to enjoy the experience. He woke up this morning intending to take away something irreplaceable to me, and I won't go to sleep tonight without taking something equally as vital to him ... like his life.


	44. Chapter 44

**Everybody familiar are Janet's.**

I cut my eyes to Tank. "This is how it has to be done."

There was a hint of regret in my tone. My life is incomprehensibly better now, but things were simpler back when my opinion of myself had been the most important one to me.

"Understood."

He left my vehicle to personally cover the back exit and wove through the property one street over from Marsilio's. If I hadn't trained him, I wouldn't have been able to track him as he disappeared from sight. I have eyes, men, and communication everywhere, and no one has spotted Crux.

Olivia's faux-party is scheduled for three. My gut's saying he'll be a guest by three-fifteen, not wanting to be early or late enough to draw attention to himself. My cell buzzed as I headed to the restaurant.

"He's on the grounds," Junior informed me.

"I'm three seconds away. This goes down my way. _No one_ appears until they're supposed to."

Stephanie is _my life_ which makes this _my _problem to solve. And I'm known for getting 'creative' with a few of my solutions.


	45. Chapter 45

**Unfortunately, Ranger still belongs to Janet.**

I parked just before I reached the restaurant and took off on foot. As silent as smoke, I came up to the edge of the property and scanned the parking lot, all the while keeping myself hidden from any eyes doing the same. There was some activity by the front door, as if guests were making small talk before going inside, and a few of my men are intentionally visible so suspicions wouldn't be raised that this is a setup, but I picked Crux out easily.

The information I dug up on him supports Steph's claims that the asshole is a lazy one. He's also one too stupid to figure out the way not to stick out like a stoned thumb is to pretend you belong at whatever place you're scoping out. Even a half-asleep Olivia could make him. He's wearing a pair of dark jeans and a white button down shirt ... not overtly dressed up, yet not his preferred stained t-shirt and basketball shorts. He'd made a slight effort in trying to get to Stephanie, but not nearly enough of one to keep him alive.


	46. Chapter 46

**Janet owns Ranger.**

As Crux peered into one of the windows near the back of the building, I walked up behind him without making a sound and brought the butt of my Glock down on the top of his head, not hard enough to knock him out, but his nose flattened against the glass before he dropped to his knees on the ground. His switchblade was also rendered useless.

"Looking for someone?" I said, pulling him upright to speak directly into his face.

"Who ...?"

"If you'd like to live longer than five minutes, you'll shut the fuck up. I'm not known for being patient."

"Where did ...?"

I squeezed the back of his neck hard in one hand and pressed the gun barrel into his forehead with enough force to form a bruise if he doesn't die before his blood vessels rupture. He shut his mouth so fast and so hard, I heard his teeth crash together.

"You target my wi ..." I stopped mid-word. Stephanie isn't technically my wife ... not yet, anyway. "_What's mine,_" I continued, "and you die. Simple as that."

He suddenly understood the magnitude of the danger he's in.


	47. Chapter 47

**Everyone familiar are Janet's.**

"I ..."

"I won't tell you again. Shut. Up. If you disappear, will anyone give a fuck?" I asked.

He stopped talking.

"That's what I thought."

He'll walk away from here, but he won't be alive for much longer after what I'd arranged.

"The woman you're after doesn't believe in cold-blooded murder no matter how justifiable," I informed him, "but she understands crimes of passion. You turning up dead after word spreads that before you were arrested, you cornered and propositioned the woman of a particularly 'territorial' gang leader, Stephanie won't lose _any _sleep over."

Crux's eyes bugged out as his fate sank in.

"I know _everything _that happens in Trenton. The blond in the bar that night is currently carrying Javier's second child. Your takeaway lesson is _n__ever_ fuck with a man's family because he _will_ come for you. I'd tell you to say a prayer," I said, turning my head towards Tank and the man standing beside him who'd used scarification to permanently add the words_ "SATAN SAVES" _to his neck, "but you don't have any left."


	48. Chapter 48

**All familiar characters are Janet's.**

I left Crux in Javier's capable hands. Tank stuck like an overgrown tick to me and the drive back to Rangeman was tense.

"You did what you had to so you can still look Stephanie in the eye," he said.

"She's my woman ... my responsibility. I should've handled this entirely on my own from start to finish."

"You neutralized the threat without doing something she can't stomach. If you blew his brains all over Marsilio's, she'd still love you, but her perception of you would've taken a hit."

"I arranged his death. It's the same thing."

"Not to a woman like her. This way she has some reasonable doubt to cling to. She can live with this even if you can't."

"This is only one of many things I'll live with," I said, pulling into the underground garage. "There aren't any alternatives."

"I know. Now go enjoy your_ 'wife'_ and daughter."

I cut my eyes to him.

"I heard what you said to Crux. You think of Stephanie as your wife."

She's _that_ ... and a hell of a lot more to me.


	49. Chapter 49

**Everything familiar is Janet's.**

As soon as I walked into the apartment, Stephanie was on me. After taking everything I could from her mouth, I lifted my head.

"Where's Olivia?"

"She's down for a nap in the bedroom. Trying to relax enough to get her to sleep was almost impossible. I don't like not being there for - and with - you."

"I'm here now."

She kissed me again. "Yes ... you are."

"And I plan on being here for the rest of the night. Tank's in charge now."

"Crux is dead?"

She'd pressed herself so tightly to me, I could feel her body go completely stiff.

"He was still alive when I walked away from him."

It's the truth, though I know he's probably not breathing right now ... or is really wishing he wasn't.

Her breath came out in a relieved sigh. "Thank God. I know how you get when you're trying to protect me ... and I really didn't want you to kill someone else because of me."

"I'll do _anything_ for you, Babe, including that if there's no way around it." Then I took her mouth again.


	50. Chapter 50

**Everyone familiar are Janet's. **

I hooked Stephanie's knees with my hands and lifted her effortlessly up against me.

"The bedroom," she said, unlocking our lips and skimming hers down my neck.

"Is currently occupied," I finished for her. "What I have in mind for you, I don't want interrupted if you start making that noise you claim you don't make."

I put her down on the couch and left her long enough to check on Olivia. I have to see with my own eyes that my women are both okay. Olive's exquisite face is still peaceful, her brown eyes remained closed, and her chest is rising and falling reassuringly. Seeing what I needed to, I went back to her mother.

Without speaking, I kissed Steph again and came down on top of her. Her legs opened so I could slide between them. My hands moved to her breasts and her fingers stroked me through my cargo pants. Adrenaline and fear can be their own form of foreplay. _This _is one of those times. I slid her pants off, pushed her shirt up, and sank into her as her body closed like a blanket around me.


	51. Chapter 51

**All familiar characters are Janet's. **

A few days later, I was holding my daughter while Steph spoke to my mother, and my father stood beside me attempting to impart some words of wisdom.

"Olivia isn't Julie," he told me.

"I know."

"Then you also know you aren't going to repeat the mistakes you think you've made."

Olivia looks sleepy and incredibly adorable in her tiny ladybug pajamas. "I promised _her_," I said, lifting her higher on my chest, "and Stephanie that I will always be here for them. I've told Julie the same, only recently has she begun to believe it."

"Julie understands more than you think ... and she knows she's irreplaceable to you. As for my little Olive-bud here," he said, kissing her outstretched hand, "the best thing you can do for her is show her how much you love her mother so she'll never settle for less from anyone. And I'd say you love Stephanie with your whole heart, because you've yet to take your eyes off her for longer than thirty seconds since we arrived."

"I don't see a reason to," was my only response.


	52. Chapter 52

**The characters and gift aren't mine.**

"Hey, Ranger. Look ..." Steph announced, walking into my office with Olivia in her arms and a box in her hand. "It says it's from Julie."

I hid my surprise. This is the first time Julie's done something without discussing it first. It's clear we've reached a point where she's comfortable with emotional displays because she knows they'll be reciprocated. I tucked the thin blanket back around Olivia after her legs excitedly kicked it off when she saw me.

"Olive definitely loves you."

"She doesn't have a choice right now," I said.

"We _do_ have a choice ... and it's to always love you. Do you want Olivia or the box?"

I reached automatically for our daughter, but kept my eyes on what my oldest one sent. Steph took the knife off my belt and cut through the packing tape. I grinned when she held up a plate featuring two green olives.

She laughed as she read out loud the words the olives said to each other. "**'**_**Olive you **_... _**Olive you more'.**_ If Julie didn't already have a crap-ton of parents, I'd adopt her."


	53. Chapter 53

**Familiar characters are Janet's.**

As soon as my afternoon meeting got canceled, I locked my office and headed upstairs to see what Stephanie and Olivia are doing. I found them both on the floor in the living room. Steph was trying to slide purple-striped baby booties onto the tiny feet that clearly want to remain bare. I walked into the room and stood over them.

"She doesn't need those, she isn't going anywhere," I said, taking Olive's side in the battle.

Steph tipped her head back against my legs and I bent to kiss her upside-down mouth before she could accuse me of taking sides.

"That was nice," she said, smiling slightly before turning serious. "Care to share what you know about the TPD dragging a torso out of the Delaware this morning? It's Crux, isn't it?"

"I hear it's the result of a gang hit."

She studied me, weighing the truth of that. She knows I won't lie to her, but equally aware that I'll omit or redirect. She nodded. She doesn't really want the details ... and I never want to have to give them to her.


	54. Chapter 54

**Familiar characters are Janet's.**

"I'm an expert on tons of shit ... but babies don't make the list. I can see she's a cute kid, though."

The changes Olivia is going through are on a daily basis now. She's alert and focused when she wants something, her dark stare intense when she doesn't get it fast enough.

"She's gonna give you bleeding ulcers if she grows up to be anything like her mother," he continued. "Meeting Stephanie once before was enough to see why you gave up working with me."

He gently shook the scarred finger Olive had a surprising grip on. I watched my old team member with amused eyes. He finally found his own reason to stop putting a price tag on his life. And the wedding Steph, Olivia, and I, crashed today is the surprisingly-quick result of it.

Stephanie was walking back to us with a glass of water in her hand. She paused, smiling conspiratorially at me. The bride had been keeping Steph company, and how she's looking at her new husband holding my daughter ... makes me believe 'Insane Kane' will become an expert on babies soon enough.


	55. Chapter 55

**Familiar characters are Janet's. **

"Heard you saw Kane," Tank told Steph.

"Yup. He looked happier than the last time I saw him."

Olivia was recently fed and is all smiles as she charmed an almost-one out of Hector, giving us a minute to talk.

"A potential prison stay tends to piss off a guy."

Long before Olive was born, I'd taken Steph with me to save Kane from another run-in with his past and the law, this time at a bar.

"There's no one better to have watching your back," I said.

"True," Tank agreed, remembering missions we've shared. "Still a crazy sonuvabitch, though."

"He seems sane to me," Steph added.

"You tell her about him?" Tank asked.

"Only what she wanted to hear."

"Even the vague things Ranger described gave me nightmares."

She squeezed my hand in apology. We both know I still get nightmares from living it.

Tank continued. "Kane's granddaddy was a test-jumper to see if it was possible to parachute behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War, with an atomic bomb strapped to him, and live."

"That was the beginning of the insanity," I finished for him.


	56. Chapter 56

**Familiar characters are Janet's.**

"Can you believe Olive isn't a _baby_-baby anymore?" Steph asked me. "The doctor said she should be able to recognize - and look for - all the key players in her life."

Our daughter's arms and legs started waving simultaneously as I approached the couch.

"I didn't need her doctor to confirm that," I said, feeling two sets of eyes track my movements.

I picked Olivia up and felt a similar sense of peace as I get when Stephanie settles herself in my arms every night. Steph stood and kissed Olive before pressing her mouth too briefly to mine.

She took a step back and studied us. "_You_ combined with your evil shower gel seems to make her happy, too."

I could feel the tips of ten bare toes digging into me as Olivia used my abs for toeholds to propel her small body upwards so she could press her face into my skin. She had a diaper change ten minutes ago, and was smiling happily at her mother as they played with some toys in the living room, so I had to assume _me _holding her close is what she wants now.


	57. Chapter 57

**Everyone familiar is Janet's.**

Stephanie doesn't want me knowing she's reluctant to leave Rangeman unless I'm along or my men are tailing her. She hated to admit that while Crux may not have touched her, he did fuck with her head a little, making her question our daughter's safety outside of _**'Fort** **Uncle**'_ ... as she now calls my building.

"How about we take Olivia to the park?" I asked.

Fall is Steph's favorite season and today is mild despite what the multi-colored leaves indicated. She wants to go, but is still uneasy.

"It'll be fine, Babe. Tank can watch our backs if that'll make you feel better."

"It's stupid, isn't it?"

"No. You're putting our daughter's safety first. I can't love you more for doing that."

I was the one left unsettled. I took a call, but still noticed two twenty-something dick-thinkers deciding a baby isn't a deterrent when held by a beautiful woman. A deliberate glimpse of my gun ended their flirting, but Steph's smile at my display of jealousy had me wanting to shoot them to cause a wider one.


	58. Chapter 58

**Everyone familiar is Janet's.**

"You ever wonder what she's thinking when she looks at us that way?" Steph asked, while we both watched Olive as she spent some time getting used to the animal-themed nursery that'll become her room when she gets bigger.

I have noticed how Olivia's dark eyes settle on one or both of us in a way that brought to mind police interrogations.

"She's probably asking herself how she ended up with us as parents, given how against the idea we've been in the past," I told her.

I studied our daughter as she tried to join our conversation by initiating one of her own with a series of noises that sound like badly pronounced '_aguas_'.

"We're good parents though ... right?"

Clearly there's something Steph's wrestling with on her own ... which is unacceptable to me. It's my job to soothe away any doubts or fears she has; whether they're about Olivia, her opinion of herself as a new mother, or as a partner to me.

"We may not end up being the 'perfect parents', Babe, but I guarantee ... we're the right ones for her."


	59. Chapter 59

**Everybody familiar is Janet's.**

"If I'd never met your mother, and didn't have another daughter equally as stunning, I'd say you are the most beautiful thing I've seen," I told Olivia.

She's lying in the middle of our big bed wearing a short-sleeved purple and blue striped onesie. Never one to accept defeat, Steph had wrestled a pair of purple socks onto Olive that had rattles hidden in the tiny elephant faces perched on top of her small feet. Every time she kicked excitedly, they'd make noise ... causing her to pause momentarily before reaching both hands out to grab hold of them again.

"Thank you," Steph said, coming out of the bathroom in only a towel just in time to catch my confession.

My ears were tuned to her movements ever since the water shut off, so I knew exactly what I was doing when I said what I did. Her current wetness is due to the shower, the one she'd just washed away had been caused solely by me before Olive had woken up.

"Anytime, Babe."

I'll compliment her and love her any and _every _time she lets me.


	60. Chapter 60

**Everyone familiar is Janet's.**

"This isn't a deal-breaker ..." I said, starting the conversation that in my opinion has been overdue for a revisit.

"I know what that means," she said against Olivia's recently bathed toes. "Us getting married is really important to you, isn't it?"

"_You're_ important to me. I know you see it as only a piece of paper ..."

"I don't," she interrupted. "Not with you."

"_So_ ...?"

"It's funny, lately I've actually caught myself thinking about it, too. I remember the look in your eyes when you signed Olivia's birth certificate as her father. If I'm not mistaken, having me legally declared your wife will have you feeling the same sense of belonging."

"It would."

"When are you thinking we should do this?"

"Is this afternoon too soon?" I asked.

"Funny. Maybe we should wait until after the holidays ..."

"Why? Olivia and I almost share a birthday and it's not a problem. What difference does it make if our wedding anniversary falls on Christmas?"

"Good point. You know, I've always liked Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day."

"Alright. Consider the twenty-fourth our wedding date now."


	61. Chapter 61

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet. I decided to continue this story past the next chapter so I thought I'd start making the chapters a little longer. Thanks for the continued interest and reviews for this story which really was supposed to remain only 100 words.  
**

On Christmas Eve as a surprise to everyone but Steph and I, our wedding took place at my parents' house during their annual family gathering. We became husband and wife in front of the glass doors leading to a now snow-covered backyard lit up by what seemed like millions of white Christmas lights. Stephanie had chosen a bone-colored leather wrap skirt that molded to her body from hips to knees, paired with a high-necked, long-sleeved sweater in a matching off-white shade. Olivia's baby-of-honor dress was ivory with a gold bow and trim lining the waist and two skirt ruffles. Steph had on heels so impractical for a Jersey winter, I offered to carry her from the car into the house. Olive, who I did carry, wore tiny white patent-leather buckle shoes with a jeweled flower perched on the toes of them.

Due to the dual nature of the holiday, Stephanie received an early Christmas present ... an engagement ring I felt even more compelled to buy because her name was literally in the description **"**_The S__tephania Ring_**"**. Olivia was given a tiny silver charm bracelet to wear that we'll/she'll always have to commemorate the day. Stephanie and Ella bonded further as they shopped for the 'right' charms to attach to it. They, with some input from me, finally decided on eight specific ones. A wedding cake, a diamond-chipped 'O' to match the ring I'd originally given Steph which is now on her right hand, a double wedding ring charm, one book-shaped one that read 'Fairy Tales Happen', an olive for our Olive, a heart locket containing a piece of ribbon from the barrette currently in Olivia's dark hair, a simple rectangle with the date engraved on it, and one of a baby's face in profile that stated 'Our Girl'. The sound and motion of it kept her occupied in my mother's arms throughout the vows as Steph and I exchanged them along with more jewelry.


	62. Chapter 62

**All familiar characters belong to Janet. **

Julie, my parents, and Ella, tied for first in who was the most excited about our Christmas Eve surprise. As expected, Mrs. Plum was the lowest ranking one on the leader board after she saw our rings the following morning when she came to drop off Olivia's Christmas present.

"What do you mean you got married?" Helen asked.

"You know ... when two people love each other, " Steph said, starting to recite the beginning of 'the talk' most kids are subjected to.

My lips twitched against Olive's hand, but Mrs. Plum isn't nearly as amused.

"This is nothing to joke about, Stephanie."

"Nor is it something to be upset about," I added, when my daughter became bored with trying to pull various features off my face.

"I'm not upset."

"You sound it," she told her mother.

"Fine ... _of course_ I'm upset. _I'm_ the one who wanted the two of you to get married when you found out you were pregnant, and you didn't even tell me you decided to go through with it."

"The ceremony was perfect," my wife said, coming to stand beside me and our daughter, "but that's what it was, Mom, _a ceremony_. I had an _actual baby _with Ranger ... and Olivia, and the promise we made to always be there for each other, _before_ we even knew about her, is more of a commitment to me than these."

She nodded towards the rings on her finger that Olive's small hand is now attempting to remove. I thought of the silver frame on the nightstand by our bed. In the picture Celia took, Olivia's face was in-between mine and Steph's as we sealed our vows not only by kissing each other, but by each simultaneously kissing our daughter's cheeks. The words etched into the silver beneath our photo said it all ... _'Happily Ever After'._


	63. Chapter 63

**All familiar characters belong to Janet.**

"God, Steph," Valerie exclaimed, "I could just eat her up!"

"You and Ranger's mom would have to duke it out over that one. Right, Ranger?" She asked me.

"My mother has threatened something similar multiple times."

"Speaking of moms ..." Valerie said to my wife.

"Yeah, I know. Ours isn't happy with me. _Again_. But guess what? I'm okay with that. She has a beautiful - if I do say so myself - granddaughter, another _legally_ married daughter, and the best son-in-law anyone could ask for ... no offense to Kloughn. Her actually seeing us tie the knot wouldn't change any of that."

"I think she's hurt," Valerie explained.

Steph snorted. "She wants people to _believe _she's hurt, but it's mostly for show. Deep down she's thrilled that what she wanted to happen ... did. Besides, if Ranger and I didn't get married at his parents' place, it would've been at the courthouse. Either way, she would've missed it."

There's more than a 50/50 percent chance that's true. Steph doesn't like to lie when one can be avoided so that tells me it had been something she'd considered. I kissed the frown off her mouth while our daughter was busy playing. Valerie was helping Olivia hold and shake the rattle she'd brought for her niece. The newest noise-maker was shaped like a microphone, but thankfully didn't work like one. I've grown accustomed to the sound of Olive's laugh, her varying cries at unexpected times, and the sweet murmurs she makes whenever Steph or I are with her, but none of those should be made a higher volume.

"Stop kissing and staring at each other that way," Valerie ordered us, "or I'll end up with another one of these."

She kissed the back of Olivia's fingers with a look in her eyes that should have Albert running scared.

"No you won't," Steph said to her sister. "You told Kloughn you'd cut his balls off if he knocked you up again."

"I did, didn't I?"

"Yup."

I can't blame Valerie for being transfixed by my daughter. If I'd known Olivia was possible, I would've taken Steph in the bed that morning hours before she ever made it into my shower.


	64. Chapter 64

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

"Grandma Mazur just got dropped off," Steph said, sticking her head into my open office door.

"That's the third time this week," I pointed out.

"Yup. This building seems to be attracting my family right and left. Bobby went down to meet her so I wouldn't have to bundle Olive up. We'll be in the control room kitchen if you need us."

I suddenly decided I could use a break. When I walked into the small kitchen, Olivia was sitting on her great-grandmother's bony lap and Stephanie and Brown were flanking her. My daughter's black leggings, ruffled tunic, and pink and white high top sneakers with bunny faced-toes, were getting a workout without her even being put down. Her arms and legs were extremely animated as she did her best to keep up with the conversation. As I suspected, it was heavily laced with Helen.

"Your mother's in another snit," Edna was saying, "and I needed a break from it."

"I bet," Steph said.

"You aren't who she's blaming for this one ... _I_ am. I didn't come home before her bedtime last night and it got her panties in one helluva twist. She'd choke on a fish bone before admitting it, Stephanie, but you belong here and she knows she doesn't."

"Sounds like a personal problem," I added, acknowledging Brown with a slight nod while taking my place at Steph's side.

"Olivia and I are happy here ... it's a shame Mom can't be."

"She'll get that stick outta her behind someday," Edna said.

Stephanie leaned forward to tickle our daughter until Olive laughed hard enough for her gums to show. "The good news is, I'm going to be the kind of mother this little one will be happy to be around no matter what."

"Like with everyone else here," I assured her, "our daughter won't be able to come up with a single reason to be unhappy with you, Babe."


	65. Chapter 65

**Everybody familiar belongs to Janet. **

I don't know if it's due to us being married now, or just the result of her parents less than enthusiastic reaction to our nuptials, but Stephanie seems to have recommitted herself to me, my company, and the people she loves in our building. She openly shows appreciation when she feels it; meticulously cleaning shredded knuckles, tapping heads indulgently when someone's acting more like a child than Olivia, and handing out contraband snacks ... even without a petulant prompt from Santos for all three.

She's become the emotional equivalent of a triage nurse over the last few weeks. After every apprehension or difficult job, she and Olivia carefully assess me or the men to see what toll had been taken while we were away from them. She'll then offer a smile, two ears to listen, or trustingly allow some one-on-one time with Olive to those she decides needs a smiling, cooing reminder that there are things in this world that aren't completely fucked up.

Needless to say, my women are heavily sought after by my men, even off duty ... which has led to some late nights in the control room that have had more to do with pizza than work. And when the newly wed Kane showed up unexpectedly at Rangeman's door, she welcomed him into her fold like she's been a member of our team all along.


	66. Chapter 66

**Ranger and Stephanie still belong to Janet. Olivia, Kane, and the mistakes, are mine.**

"What's up?" Steph said, kissing Olive's cheek before passing her to me so she could concentrate on reading Kane, who should be home with his new wife instead of standing in my office.

While he appeared not to have a care in the fucking world, my gut told me this isn't a social call. To Insane Kane ... only a handful of things are worth getting upset over. A fight in a bar that required police intervention, wouldn't have been one of them except the guy trying to throw a few punches was the same asshole who attempted to ambush, rob, and then beat the shit out of, Kane's younger brother over a winning hand in a less-than-legal game of high stakes poker.

He shrugged at her question. "While Range Man here was smoothing the cop's feathers over that fist-to-face conversation I had in Atlantic City, you were trying to calm me down by giving me the highlights of what you two have been up to here ... so I came to you. I thought I'd be nice and not disturb the cops again for what's essentially a 'family' matter."

"Lucky us," I said, as Olivia stuck her tongue out at him.

"Did you teach her to do that?" He asked me, glancing at the vocal bundle of dress in my arms.

Steph swears she can see the beginnings of a tooth, but so far our daughter's mouth remains all smiling gums.

"No," I told him, "but she does mimic her mother often."

"Very funny," my wife said while staring at Kane. "What happened?"

"My old lady's ..."

Steph held up her hand to stop him and looked over at me. "If you _ever _call me that, I'll hurt you."

I spoke into Olive's fingers as they reached out to grab my lips again. She seemed intent on explaining to me why faces are so interesting to her, so I kept my eyes on her to encourage communication as I answered her mother.

"I know better, Babe. Kane's good at shooting things or blowing them up, but he still has a lot to learn about women."

"I do alright," he stated, puffing out his chest.

"_Did _alright. Past tense," I reminded him.

It took him longer, but he finally figured out what I had discovered with Stephanie ... once you find that one person who can love you completely - the good_, _the bad, and all the ugly - you _don't_ fuck it up.


	67. Chapter 67

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

"Kane's not dumb enough to screw over his wife by screwing someone else," Steph said. "She'd be long gone before he even knew she knew about it, so let's get down to business."

She took our daughter from me and two sets of feminine eyes, along with mine, drilled into him.

"_Harper's_," he said, glancing at Steph to see if he earned points for using his wife's name this time, since it was clear the 'old lady' reference pissed _my_ wife off, "best friend's, cousin's ..."

"This is sounding like a Burg story," she said to me.

"_Burg?_" He asked.

She shook her head. "Don't ask. Keep going."

Just like her mother, Olivia shook her curls and made a sound low in her throat, waving her arms as if she was encouraging him to get to the fucking point already, too.

"Harper's BFF's cousin's husband is missing. And I need help to find him."

"You know how to locate people," I pointed out. We've both done our share of hunting ... and successfully located a number of people no one even knew existed. "Why do you need our help?"

"Because I'm going to kill the sonuvabitch for worrying Harper if I get my hands on him. Those three women are _tight_. When one's upset, they all suffer ... which isn't working for me because Harper and I found out this morning that she's preggers. I'm gonna be a daddy. Can you believe it?"

"No," I answered truthfully.

"Jeez, you guys don't shoot blanks in _any_ area of your life, do you?" Steph said. "If you just heard that you're going to be parents, shouldn't the two of you be busy celebrating ... _or something_ ... before you get roped into a full-scale manhunt?"

She's no doubt remembering how I called Tank and told him I was offline the day we found out about Olive. Steph needed to be held and reassured that we would survive and even thrive with a baby in our life. Even if I'd been across a few oceans, I would've been there for her.

"I need this handled _now_ so Harper can relax. I also need backup so I don't get locked up ... _again_," Kane said, closing my office door.


	68. Chapter 68

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

"You know, I blame this creature," Kane said, skimming his fingertips gently over Olivia's cheek, "for Harper's lack of birth control interest."

Steph kissed our daughter's head and rested her own against it to speak directly into her ear. "Don't worry, Olive, your Uncle Kane meant that as a compliment. It's his warped way of saying you're completely adorable, otherwise your daddy or I would've smacked him for you. So ... back to the best friend's cousin's husband ..."

"The short version is the married dickhole is having an affair with an equally married co-worker. And now he disappeared supposedly after 'work' and the co-worker and her husband are rumored to be in the Bahamas on an impromptu 'vacation'."

Steph cuddled Olive closer and unconsciously started rocking her as the same bad feeling hit her as it did me. "That doesn't sound good."

"No part of this is good," he continued. "The cousin wants a divorce and to get on with her life, but there's no sign of the soon-to-be ex who'll need to sign papers for that to happen ... unless your husband can bypass the court altogether. Harper's pissed because her friend has to go through hell all over again, waiting for the asshole to resurface. I've learned an unhappy wife is to be avoided so I want him found fast. She'll kill me if I get myself in trouble over this. As a compromise so she would relax, I suggested asking you for help ... and _that_ she agreed with."

"I knew you had some brains left," I told him. "I'll get my best trackers started on it."

"Tank's in his office," Steph told him. "Despite what he may say, he'll want to see you. Just don't hog Olive, he doesn't like that. She's not only a daddy's girl, she's her Range Uncles' sweetheart."

Olivia can do no wrong in anyone's eyes and she knows it. We were just about to leave my office when Kane stopped, blocking the doorway.

"What are the chances that if Harper and I have a girl, she'll look like yours?"

"Sorry," Steph said. "They only hand out one perfect Cuban/Hungarian/Italian baby girl ... and lucky us, we got her. But I'm sure your boy or girl will be cute ... and no doubt a freakin' handful."

I don't like the shit-eating grin he's suddenly giving me. "Wouldn't it be funny if I had a boy and he ended up liking your girl?" He asked me.

"No," I told him.

That will happen over my dead body ... and likely his, too.


	69. Chapter 69

**All familiar characters belong to Janet.**

Olivia's brown eyes lit up when Tank's massive frame filled them after we made it into his office without any bloodshed. It's clear she recognizes more than just her mother and I.

"Fork her over," he ordered Steph.

"Jeez, our daughter isn't a stack of pancakes you know."

Olive almost disappeared in his two hands when he picked her up. I caught an amused look on his normally expressionless face when it bent to my daughter's smiling one.

"She _smells _like a stack of pancakes," he told my wife.

Steph crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive gesture. "So I _may _have had a little syrup this morning. You try mommy-multitasking. Breastfeeding a baby while trying to cram in breakfast is _not easy_ or _neat, _but if Ella makes me pancakes ... I'm eating them while they're still warm."

"I'll pass on the pancakes and that kind of multitasking. I have plenty of _equipment_, but not for that," he said.

He held Olivia up in front of him and her arms and legs moved as though swimming on land, her denim dress creating its own breeze as her sequined sneakers kicked the air. I see her accomplishing a full crawl in our immediate future.

"So ..." Tank continued, "Kane's here, that reeks of trouble."

"Yep," Steph told him. "_All _kinds of trouble. He's going to be a daddy."

Kane's grin was back, this time directed at Tank. "I hope you've learned a thing or two about kid-sitting from them."

"Shit. _You_ reproduced?" He asked Kane.

"The pee stick and now the doctor both say yes. And I plan on calling in favors right and left. Do you prefer Uncle Tank or Zio _Pierre_?"

Tank's answer was a solid shot to Kane's midsection with his fist, while his other arm kept Olivia tucked protectively against his chest.

**A/N: 'Zio' is uncle in Italian.**


	70. Chapter 70

**It's possible that I'm having too much fun with Kane's visit. He and Olivia are mine, unfortunately everyone else belongs to Janet.**

"You punch like a girl," Kane told Tank.

"_Hey!_" Steph said, not appreciating the inequality of that statement. She punched his shoulder. "_That_'s how 'a girl' hits."

I'm proud to see that he did wince when her knuckles disappeared into the sleeve of his jacket.

"Where the fuck were you when I could've used some reinforcements at that bar?" He asked.

I cuffed his head hard for swearing in front of my women. "She was with me where she belongs. And watch yourself in front of the ladies. So much for marriage teaching you some manners."

He rubbed his shoulder one last time, then ran a hand through his hair to restore it to looking just mildly unkempt. He was watching Olivia do a partial rollover across Tank's chest after he'd taken a seat still holding her.

"Why do they put pockets on baby clothes?" He asked. "It's not like they have to carry a credit card, keys, or ID."

"Olive's gonna need a rattle-taser pretty soon to keep Brown and Santos away," Tank told him. "And she'll have to carry concealed to nail them, which is why the dress has pockets."

"Yeah ... I remember zapping one of them once just to get them both to shut up."

"You're lucky you're so pretty," Steph told Kane, "because your personality needs major work."

"Men aren't 'pretty', Stephanie," he said, in a mock-patient tone. "We're rugged, handsome, or sexy as hell."

"_Ranger's_ rugged, beyond handsome, plus sexy as hell and even smarter than that. _You're _just a pretty boy ... deal with it."

"Going by your logic then, there's a reason why _you're_ beautiful."

She checked to make sure Olivia wasn't looking before giving him another shot to the arm for the backhanded compliment.

He looked at me. "Most men would be scared of a woman with a good right jab."

"I'm not most men," I reminded him. "And if you don't start behaving, I'll finish what she started."


	71. Chapter 71

**All familiar characters belong to Janet.**

"I'm just having some fun with her," Kane said. "My parents had only boys, so I never had a sister to play with. I thought I'd give Steph a shot at the job."

"_Really?_ What are the benefits of being an honorary Kane Cole sibling?" She asked.

"You get a lifetime of protection ..."

"I have that now with Ranger and all my guys here."

I nodded as Tank grunted an affirmative.

"My grandparents own a small vineyard in Tuscany. I can hook you and your Fancy Wine Guy up with stuff better than you'd find here."

"Try again. I'm still breastfeeding so alcohol isn't high on my priority list."

"Shit. I forgot all about that. Harper likes her Merlot, she's not going to be happy when she realizes she's been cut off."

He blew out a mock frustrated sigh. The ass is thoroughly enjoying himself ... and so is Stephanie. It's terrifying to imagine these two related, but they did bond instantly while she was calming him down after he'd whipped out a knife and was ready to go for round two at the bar even with the police on scene.

"I can make bread from scratch and pretty much anything else if given access to a kitchen, though I don't want to brag," he told her.

Tank snorted at the obvious lie, which had Olive rewarding him with a laugh.

"How about doughnuts?" Steph asked, upping the ante.

"Jelly doughnuts are my specialty. I make a killer raspberry jam, though I can make whatever kind you want."

"Sold. Let's get busy finding this a-hole and then we can eat doughnuts and break bread that you're gonna bake us over baby-name books. I'm not sure why, but we kept all of ours."

"Deal. You help me find, and then get rid of, this guy and I'll give you anything you want."

Steph's blue eyes went first to Olivia as our daughter smiled besottedly at Tank, and then my wife looked back at me.

"Thanks for the offer," she told him, still staring at me, "but I already have everything I could ever want or need."


	72. Chapter 72

**Ranger and Stephanie belong to Janet.**

"Where's Harper?" Steph asked. "She didn't want to risk triplets by being so close to Olive?"

"That woman's scared of nothing. She's with her mom over in Rose Valley, PA. We found out about our kidlet only a few hours ago, and while Harp wanted to come here with me to hang out with you, her mom really wanted to see her ... like she's changed already. I saw her naked this morning and even I can't tell anything's growing in there yet. I bet her a hundred bucks her mom is going to have all the nursery furniture bought by the time I pick her back up. I'll be busy for weeks assembling it all."

Steph grinned. "Ranger had Olivia's room done in under three days."

"Yeah, but he had some help I'd guess."

"That's why I worked hard to become my own boss, so I can pay people to perform miracles," I told him, "whenever I require one."

His amused eyes cut to my wife. "_Now _I see why you married him."

"Yep ... he's hot, sweet, protective, and he loves us."

Kane looked ill. "I'm gonna hurl if you keep talking like that."

"Funny, I never would've pegged you for squeamish. Are you allergic to the truth or something?" She asked.

"I can handle the truth, along with pretty much anything else, I just react gastronomically to crap like that."

Steph fanned her face with her hand. "Harper's one lucky woman to have landed you."

He caught the heavy dose of sarcasm, but chose to ignore it. "That's what I tell her every day. And then _lucky me_ gets to convince her of that all over again."


	73. Chapter 73

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

"Uncle Kane is going to be tougher to tackle than your Uncle Lester, Olive, but we're up for helping Aunt Harper out by taking him on, aren't we?" Steph said to our daughter.

Olivia had belly-crawled her way up Tank and is now sitting at attention on one of his substantial shoulders. My wife leaned forward and kissed her right between her big brown eyes. That got Olive's arms moving in excitement and if Tank hadn't been holding her securely, she might have achieved liftoff.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Kane asked.

"When _isn't _your ass in deep shit?" Tank responded.

"Yeah ... well, I've had enough training in my lifetime, I doubt I need more."

"You do and you don't," Steph said to him. "You'll see. Ranger says I'm lucky to have him, too, but the difference is he's usually kidding and it _is_ true coming from him. Harper probably has a travel agency on standby for when she needs a break. You're like Lester on acid."

"She does have a travel agent always on hand ... my uncle. He can also get a brand spanking new identity, passport, and bank card, for you in about an hour. Free of charge if he likes you."

"Maybe _he_ should be helping you instead of us," I said.

"You know he only showed his ugly mug here because he missed us," Tank told me.

"I'm not ugly. Steph just called me pretty ... or weren't you paying attention?"

My daughter was on the move again and is now, with assistance, bouncing herself up and down on her legs on Tank's as he spoke to Kane. "_Olive's _pretty, _you're _barely tolerable."

"I know you love me."

"I don't even like you half the time," my second-in-command replied.

"If that's true, why haven't you kicked me out?" He asked.

"One, we _always_ have each other's backs. And two, that would take away some of the time he gets with our daughter," I explained.

"Wherever Olivia goes ... Tank is sure to follow," Steph added.

Kane reached out and hooked her neck in a friendly one-armed hug. "You're pretty cool. Before I leave, I'm gonna give you my uncle's number in case you ever want to get away from these two."

"_No_," both she and I said together.

We need to be apart about as much as Kane needed another hole in his head.


	74. Chapter 74

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

"I want to get moving on this so I can get back to my wife, but I wanna hold 'Princess Perfect' before we head out," Kane told us, but was looking at Tank. "If I'm gonna have one of those soon, I need to get in some practice."

"Ummm ..." Steph said.

"_What? _You don't trust me?"

"With _my life_, definitely. With _Olive _...?" She let the sentence trail off.

"I'm choosing to not be offended by that, since I know Ranger wouldn't have married someone who wouldn't protect his kid."

"Olivia's_ my baby_, too. _I'm _the one who grew her and gave birth to her, you know. So_ I'm _the one who wants her protected the most ... which is why _I_ married _him _and live _here_, so she can be surrounded and loved by guys as great as her daddy and Tank."

"Did I just step on a nerve?"

"Yes," I told him. "And you'd better get your ass quickly off it, because her knee can make sure your child remains an only one."

"_Damn_ ... you traded one dangerous life for another one."

"The rewards of this one far outweigh any danger," I said, feeling Steph's eyes on me.

"Do you have to put up with them making eyes at each other every day?" Kane asked Tank.

"Yeah, but we got Olive out of the deal," he said against my daughter's temple, "so I shut my mouth and deal ... something_ you _should learn to do."

"If I get the girl, I'll behave."

Tank either wanted to sigh or knock him out, but he chose the high road. He kissed Olive's cheek before allowing Kane the joy of holding her. Tank protested more than Olivia did at the Uncle-change, but she did size this newest one up. Her brown eyes stared into his and she stopped gumming her finger until she'd made up her mind whether to smile or cry. Her impossibly tiny finger came out of her mouth and she grinned as she reached for the cross Kane's grandmother had given him after she'd heard he'd enlisted. It's been somewhere on his body for as long as I've known him, and once his child is old enough to fully understand the gift ... I know it will be passed down to him or her.

My daughter gripped the simple onyx and silver symbol, and with sounds that closely resembled a deliberate 'Ma Ma', she held it out as far as his neck would allow to show her Mama what she'd found. Steph and I both went still while our baby was unaware of anything except her new toy. The _tiny _Queen of Rangeman has given 'Uncle Kane' her seal of approval ... we're good to go.


	75. Chapter 75

**Everyone and anything familiar belongs to Janet.**

"Get Vince and Ram started on this," I told Tank. "Contact Silvio as well and see what he can dig up."

He nodded.

"What names do you have for me?" I asked Kane.

"The best friend's cousin's name is Aubrey Scott. Her soon to be ex's is Leo Henry. She was smart to keep her last name, it'll cut down on paperwork."

"Harper has _your _last name now," Stephanie added, watching Olive more than the man still holding her.

"I'm not stupid. With a woman who's so far outta my league, I wanted _me_ on every part of _her_," he answered. "She didn't fight it."

I don't trust the sudden 'smitten' look he's aiming at my daughter's beautiful face. As much as I'd hate to, I'll have to shoot him if he refuses to give Olivia back.

"How much of the Bahama trip is rumor and how much is fact?" I asked, referencing the other half of the cheating couple.

"The 'happily' married couple, Suzy and George Tipple ..."

"Is that _really _their last name?" Steph interrupted, blowing a kiss to our daughter who was doing something similar at her over Kane's shoulder.

"Yes," he answered her.

"I have a feeling my mom would love them."

"Why? She got a thing for cheaters or tippling?"

"Depends who you ask. She denies that she approves of either one, but ..." she shrugged off thoughts of Orr, Morelli, and the bottle of whiskey that can always be found in the Plum pantry.

Kane studied my wife for a few beats, which was all he needed to figure out what she wasn't saying. He left it alone for now and got back to the problem at hand.

"My uncle called in a few favors, overlooked a few privacy laws, and found the Bahama boat info for me. I hit up my other contacts, and so far ... no sign of Aubrey's bastard of a husband."

"Why do you guys always have connections?" Stephanie asked, looking at the three of us after taking her eyes off Olive's sudden 'giddy up' movements as she kicked her tiny sneakers into her Uncle Kane. "I've been hanging around Rangeguys for years now, and the only connection I've got is Ranger."

"What did I tell you, Babe? One Ranger is all you'll ever need."


	76. Chapter 76

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

"I'm guessing you'd have a whole brood of these by now," Kane said, giving Olive an 'adoring' grin before passing her to Steph so we can get to work, "if you weren't busy saving the asses of guys like me."

"Olivia and I are suckers for tough Teddy Bears exactly like you, Tank, and the rest of our Merry Men here," Steph said, "so it works out well."

Our daughter, as always, is appreciating the attention she's receiving. And she gave us all a huge smile, showing as much of her gums as humanely possible. I was tempted to postpone the search just so I wouldn't have to share my family more than I already have, but I'd never willingly refuse to help one of my men, who's also a friend in this case, no matter that my attention is being pulled more towards my two brunette beauties.

"Damn, she's cute," Kane told us, continuing to watch Olive who's trying to squirm free from her mother's arms, anxious to be doing something besides being held. "I definitely want a daughter now."

"If you and Harper do have a girl, you'd better keep your license to carry concealed ... legal and up-to-date," I advised.

The look my wife shot me said she didn't appreciate the threat Trenton's youth face regarding our own daughter.

"You deserve to have a daddy's girl," Tank added.

"Thank you," Kane told him.

Tank's face cracked into a knowing grin that Steph would call evil.

"Shit. You're an asshole," he told Tank, as realization of what he's in for kicked in, if a daughter of his became interested in a man just like her father.

"Takes one to know one," was the mature reply my second-in-command gave him.

Steph looked at me. "Come on, if you and I don't get started on this, we'll never find this guy, Harper won't get her husband back, and Uncle Kane here won't get to experience how great having a daughter can be."


	77. Chapter 77

**Sorry for taking so long to finish the Kane storyline. I have the chapters already written and I'm hoping to continue to post one a week until at least that's wrapped up. All familiar characters still belong to Janet.**

I followed my ladies out of the office and signaled for Tank to move his ass. As much as I like getting caught up on what my men have been up to since I've last seen them, I don't appreciate the fact that someone's life is currently in limbo. I've hovered there myself more times than I'll ever admit to, and I don't want anyone else to have to endure something similar to the emotional torture I've lived through.

"I want the names George and his wife ... Suzy or _Susan_?" I asked Kane, whose body was hidden almost completely behind Tank's as they trailed behind us.

"Suzy." He shrugged. "Who knows what her parents were thinking. I've heard they're both dead, so no help there."

"Give me five minutes," Vince said, "and I'll have their dental records and the names of their first pets."

"Make it three," I ordered him.

"Yes, Sir."

"Still a hardass, aren't you?" Kane asked.

Steph was amusing herself by holding Olive slightly above her head while making adorable faces up at her, trying to get our daughter to mimic them, but my wife felt the need to answer the ass question herself.

"Definitely. _None _are harder than Ranger's."

I caught her eye and she lowered our daughter and used Olivia's tiny hand to blow me a kiss in response.

Vince interrupted what could've been a foreplay moment. "Credit cards show Tipple bought two tickets for a cruise headed to the Caribbean."

"Was the Bahamas the destination?" I asked.

"Yeah."

Nothing new there. "What about the name Leo Henry?"

A few seconds provided no additional information on his location. He was working, then he was gone.

"I could use a vacation," Steph said. "I say we go and scour the islands if there's no trace of anyone here. Olive is good at finding things. Yesterday, I had to stop her from putting an earring backing in her mouth. Those suckers are impossible to find, which is why it was still on the floor, yet she managed to get her supposedly uncoordinated, chubby little fingers on one."

"I'm not sure that's on the same scale as finding a cheating a-hole," Kane told her.

"You're underestimating my DNA."

He looked at me. "There isn't enough time to explain that comment," I told him. "Get all your papers legal, we're going on a sightseeing trip."

"_Really?_" Steph asked me.

"You want a vacation ... you get one. Finding these three will be a side project."


	78. Chapter 78

**Everybody familiar belongs to Janet. Kane, Olive, and any mistakes, are mine.**

Kane wasn't willing to stay behind while we solved his mystery. After a call to his wife, Harper, a plan was quickly put into place to pick her up on the way to the plane I have on standby. But things changed with one phone call after Kane was done speaking to his wife in a quieter corner of the control room and I was standing with Tank near mine and my daughter.

Olivia seemed to want to move and Steph and I are in agreement on letting her do what she needs to. We'd all gathered in the control room and Stephanie had set her down and proceeded to sit behind her on the carpeted floor while names, addresses, and credit trails, were being run. I also had Vince trigger my company's equivalent of a global APB that immediately and simultaneously reaches every contact or 'business associate' I've made over the years when I need info or a person found. If those three are alive, there aren't many places they can hide.

With two hands suspended in the air beside our daughter, my wife tried to anticipate what she'd do. "First she's anxious to get down, now she's playing statue? Scratch that ... _incoming_," Steph told us.

"Shit. She's like her mother ... she doesn't want to be left out of any conversation," Tank said, watching Olive move onto her stomach and try to get to where we're standing a few feet away.

"Maybe Daddy calling her would get her moving faster," my wife suggested. "And her Octoplush can't hurt."

She tossed the blue musical octopus at me. I caught it with one hand without taking my eyes off our daughter.

"Do we really want her getting around faster?" I asked Steph.

"We want her to be a totally independent woman even if it means more work and worry for us."

I put a knee to the carpet and held my arms out to my daughter. I wasn't surprised that Tank did the same beside me. She paused her self-propelling attempt temporarily, and she glanced over her tiny shoulder her at mother behind her and then her brown eyes came back to me in front of her.

"You can go see Daddy if you want to," Steph said, completely egging her on. "You don't know how many times I've literally run to him."

"Babe."

"What? I want her to learn how to track you down. It'll save me some time if she can locate you quicker than I can."

I would've raised an eyebrow, but my daughter chose that moment to figure out how to get herself from Point A to Point B faster than I felt comfortable with, while squealing and '_ohh'-ing_ at the sight of her favorite toy. She'd given up on the back and forth rocking belly-motion that wasn't accomplishing what she wanted, and switched to using her hands, arms, and elbows, to drag/crawl herself to where I, and her Uncle-_Everything _Tank, are.

"She's your daughter alright," Kane said. "She's executing that Army crawl perfectly."

"Or she's Steph's kid," Tank added. "I've seen our Mrs. Manoso do the same move along a roof she didn't want to fall - or get shot - off of."

"Do you guys mind? Our baby is having a moment here. Oh my God," Steph said, Olivia made it a bit closer to an actual crawl. "Go, Olive. _Go!_"

With a string of '_ah-eh_' vowel-like sounds that I know Steph will interpret as a baby version of _Dada_, my daughter stretched both arms out to me to be picked up before managing a full crawl, but her parents are feeling as proud of her as if she'd just climbed Everest barefoot.

I heard Vince's words that a body had been reported as I scooped up my daughter's exceedingly lively one. There's good and evil in the world, and I held on tightly to the good while contemplating what I'm going to do about the evil.


	79. Chapter 79

**All familiar characters belong to Janet.**

"Tack ..." Vince began.

"_Who?_" Steph asked me, getting to her feet as Kane whispered an expletive.

"My coastal contact. First name's Ali."

"So he's 'A. Tack'? Maybe like an _attack_?"

"Only when provoked. Finish the report," I ordered Vince.

"The body is a male in his late thirties/early forties. It was discovered by a hunter and called in. Tack says the location is in a wooded area not far from Henry's home," Vince told me. "Over in Monmouth County in Oceanport."

"It's Aubrey's husband, isn't it?" He asked.

Vince looked at him, then to me. I nodded over Olive's head which is the abbreviated version of my 'Talk' command.

"Fits the description we have on him. The condition the body's in also points to it being him rather than Tipple."

"_The condition the body's in_?" Steph asked. "What do you mean by that?"

He suddenly looked nervous. "Ummm ... I don't feel comfortable discussing that with ladies present."

"Oh for crap's sake," my wife so eloquently said. "I've seen and heard everything by now and my Olive doesn't blab. Now that she wrangled Uncle Kane's cross off him thanks to a walking-assist from her daddy, I don't think she's paying any attention to us." She paused. "Then again, in case she is ... I'd prefer she never hear the details. How far away are we talking here?"

Kane shrugged, his expression still stuck on pissed off. "About an hour ... hour ten minutes, depending where the actual crime scene is."

"Let's get going then."

"Olivia's not going to a crime scene, Babe. If we aren't even talking about it in front of her, she isn't seeing one."

She rolled her eyes. "_Of course _she _isn't_. It's almost time for her nap, so if we get going now, we'll be back before she wakes up from it, and before she's hungry again. Being a walking 24/7 diner changes my plans and I have to strike when I can."

"I get dibs on Dollface," Santos said, reaching for my daughter.

"Jeez, stop with the nicknames already," Steph told him. "Olive's heading to the double-digits when it comes to endearments ... and she's not even a year-old yet. If Ranger lets you, you can hold her until Ella gets here. _Her _I trust to make sure a nap happens. _You_ not so much."

"You wound me."

"She won't," I said, "but I will if you wind Olivia up too much that a nap is impossible."

"As if."

I swear my daughter's eyes rolled under her thick lashes, but she went to Santos with no problem. He wouldn't be here if I didn't trust him, but he acts more immature than I'm comfortable with at times. I've known him since Basic and he knows I can _and will _skin, disembowel, and then promptly dispose of, him if he hurt my children or Stephanie, so I was alright with him acting as a very temporary babysitter.

"Did someone say babysitter?" Ella asked, coincidentally walking into the control room right after we mentioned her.

I cut my eyes to my wife who gave me a smug smile. "You have fancy tracking gizmos and a planet-wide information desk. I at least have a mental connection to Ella."

"Shit. This kid thing is getting more complicated the longer I stay here," Kane noted. "It's just Harper and I at home. We don't have a fucking fifty-person team to watch one miniature person."

I cuffed him on the back of the head as Steph gave our daughter a goodbye kiss and a raspberry to her neck to inspire a smile. "Watch your mouth, retrieve your cross from Olive since you'll likely need it for this, and then move your ass. We're working on a timer now," I said, making sure I gave Olivia a moment of my time before we try to beat a body bag to the body.

She and Julie are the reasons I feel it's my duty to solve another fucked-up crime. The world _has_ to be better before they go out into it.


	80. Chapter 80

**All familiar characters are Janet's. **

Having a far-reaching reputation got us behind the yellow tape barrier already in place, and what we're looking at even _I_ didn't want to see, never mind my innocent daughter. The body was for the most part intact, but the open pants and full mouth made it clear this is a homicide of an extremely personal nature.

"If I ruin any forensic evidence by throwing up," Steph said, turning her face into my chest so she didn't have to look at the scene or smell blood and the unmistakable scent of death any more, "will you make fun of me? I know I insisted on being here, but I've never wanted to be back home more than I do right now."

"Hell no ... we wouldn't screw with you for being disgusted," Kane said, hearing her comment. "I was planning on killing the sonovabitch with my bare hands for hurting Aubrey, but even I could hurl right now. I've seen some psycho-shit before, but not like this."

Tank was torn between hanging back to keep watch over Olivia at home, and providing backup for us in case we ran into trouble here. With a building full of bodyguards and Ella already admonishing Lester and Woody to 'settle down and behave or else' as we were getting into the elevator, had him deciding it was okay to leave for a few hours. His expression - like mine - didn't change, but I can see he's as disturbed as I am.

"Guess if he wouldn't have been sticking his dick places he shouldn't have, he wouldn't be missing it right now," was his response to Leo Henry's body.

I gave him a look to shut him up. Stephanie doesn't need to hear more.

Apparently she didn't realize that and added to Tank's comment. "It'd be so much better if it _was _missing. Finding it shoved in his mouth is way worse than a search would've been to find it," she said. "I can't think of a more humiliating way for a guy to be found."

Seeing my share of bodies, this one is clearly the result of an affair. Shooting someone in the forehead at point blank range takes balls, having to look your victim dead in the eye as you pull the trigger, but chopping off a guy's cock is enough of a statement that the killer was not going to tolerate the use of that particular organ again.

"Oh God," Steph said after a beat.

"Fuck. Don't say _something else _is missing," Kane said to her.

"Don't make me tell you to watch what you say, and to who, again," I told him.

He glanced at my wife. "Sorry. I promise I'll get better. Harp just ignores it when we're alone or punches me when her mom's visiting."

"Don't worry about it," she told him. "Ranger's the only one who thinks my ears need to be protected as well as my body."

"What are you thinking, Babe?" I asked her.

"I know it's wrong what she and Leo were doing, but what are the chances this Tipple woman wasn't around for this?" She said back. "If she had any feelings for the guy, seeing this happen to him will scar her for three lifetimes. I'm already preparing for some nightmares tonight ... and adding more to Olive's email to calm myself down from them."

I know from decades of seeing the kind of sick shit people do to one other, Mrs. Tipple being murdered before Henry would've been a mercy kill.


	81. Chapter 81

**All familiar characters belong to Janet.**

"I _accidentally_ found a phone while the cops were busy," Tank announced after searching the immediate area without appearing to be. "I'm sure they won't miss it. They don't need it as much as we do."

The officers and detectives were actively discussing what they found here, and aren't being as vigilant as they should. If they knew what I did about what the state of Henry's body represented, or the sick son of a bitch behind it, they be pissing themselves and checking to see if early-retirement is an option.

"Phone's busted, but I'm betting we can still get something off it," Tank continued, plugging in a 'stick' that Hector had perfected.

It's similar to a thumb drive and when it's inserted into a cell, it scans and saves all the phone's info and history and will then send it to the control room for analyzing and printing.

"If there are any pictures," Steph told him, "I _Do Not _want to see them."

"I'm with wifey," Kane said, earning him another retaliatory action, this time to the region of his gut. "Jesus ... I said _wife _instead of _little woman_. You have an issue with _everything_ I say."

"Not _everything_, but you do need to learn a few things about women. If someone called Harper insignificant, what would you do?" She asked him.

"I'd start removing body parts ... sorry Henry," he said, towards the body waiting to be bagged.

"Well ... 'little woman' and 'wifey' sound just as dismissive, so you may want to keep that in mind if you want to keep _your _joystick intact."

"You definitely know how to get your point across, Babe," I said, fighting to stay in the moment and not let the memories take over as I disconnected the call I'd placed to Rangeman.

"Thanks. Did Vince get any info from the phone?"

"It appears to belong to Mrs. Tipple. She was either on-scene at the time of the dump-off and was 'careless', or the killer or Henry felt the need to take it from her at some point. In her saved emails, one sent to a co-worker hinted at a 'vacation' she was extremely apprehensive about going on."

"Did she drop the phone on purpose so someone would find it and start asking questions?" Steph asked.

"Stranger things have happened."

"Yeah, like this whole situation."

"Shit," Kane added to the conversation. "What the hell did Leo get himself into?"

"Something he wouldn't survive," Tank answered. "So the phone info checks out with what we already know. Silvio's working the Caribbean angle, we should have an exact location on where they ended up if there is one."

My phone buzzed again and all conversation stopped as I answered the call. This one was from the control room in the Miami Rangeman building.

"What do you have?" I asked the man who'd given Steph her first crash course in surviving the phones, programs, and stress, prevalent in my company.

"A man who was tentatively ID'd as George Tipple was looking to score a yacht in a few places," Silvio told me. "It was slow going because he insisted on being his own captain."

"He had cruise tickets purchased ..."

"A cruise may have been his intention, but plans seem to have changed. I've already called our OPBAT contact and asked to be notified if they see anything we'd be interested in."

"So George wants privacy, that isn't good."

"I'm feeling the same way. There's multiple checks being run on him to see what we're dealing with here."

"Which marina gave him what he wanted?" I asked.

"One in the Bahamas, on Long Island. Vince is working to verify that info before we send it to you."

"You're kidding me?" Steph said, having come close enough to me to hear what Silvio was sharing.

"You say that a lot," Kane pointed out to her.

"Since _you've _been here, I have," she fired back, though she smiled teasingly at him. She focused back on me. "There's a Long Island in the Bahamas, too? I wonder if there's a Coney Island equivalent there. Either way, I say we check it out ourselves. I'm sure Olive would love to see a little of the world."

"_Olive _or _you_?" I asked.

"Everybody says she's as much _my _daughter as she is yours, so I feel confident answering for us both ... and we're on-board."

**A/N: OPBAT is a joint effort between The Bahamas, and Turks, and Caicos Islands, police and the DEA.**


	82. Chapter 82

**All familiar characters still belong to Janet.**

Traveling with a wife and child is very different than picking up my life at a moment's notice and praying like hell that I'll get to live to see it again. Steph's life has also changed. She's no longer questioning who 'Stephanie Plum' is ... she's too busy enjoying her life as Stephanie Manoso, aka _Olive's Mama._

On our way to the plane I have ready for whenever I need it to be, our daughter looked a little apprehensive. It appeared she couldn't decide if she was going to reach out for me so I can slay any dragon we may come across, or if she'd rather tuck her face into her Mom's neck until that famous Plum-curiosity overrode her momentary fear of an unfamiliar situation.

Steph solved Olive's dilemma by hugging her tight, kissing her twice on both cheeks, and then moving closer to me so Olivia could grab onto me if she wanted to. She did. Our daughter seemed satisfied that both of her parents are watching out for her, since Steph kept a hand on Olive's back as she sat up on my arm while her dark eyes scanned her surroundings.

"Your little girl is the only one who could consider you her 'throne' and not eat a bullet," Kane said, keeping Harper plastered to his side with a single arm.

Mr. and Mrs. Cole both have dark hair and eyes, Harper's being a little darker than her husband's. So a daughter who'll look similar to my beautiful ones isn't completely out of the question. Harper is as angular and athletically-built as Steph is perfectly-formed. My wife is in better shape now than she was before she got pregnant, but the curves I love, and make love to often, are still there to enjoy.

"Olivia can consider me at her disposal for life," I said, pressing my lips to the baby-soft, wavy hair that smells identical to a creamsicle.

Stephanie informed me of that fact this morning since I haven't had an orange creamsicle since I was in elementary school.

"She's as lucky as I am," my wife stated, and then looked at Harper. "You are, too. Once you're involved with a Range Man, you get the benefit of having everyone they know watching out for you."

The woman smiled up at Kane. "I'm finding that out. Thank you again for helping us out. I hate what this is doing to Aubrey, but I think not knowing everything is worse. I talked to her before we left and she's as shaken as she is pissed off."

"I feel bad for her," Steph said. "I know from experience that a cheating husband messes with your head."

Considering what Dickie and Morelli have done to Stephanie, my opinion is that the head should be blown clear off the cheater.

"Don't look at me," Kane said. "I'm called _insane_, not _suicidal_. I've been in the gym with Harp and have watched her workout. I'd be in worse shape than Leo if I hurt her."

"I don't love lightly, so you're damn right you would," his wife confirmed.

Olive smiled and waved her arms with an excited '_bi-bi-bi-ba!_' squeal in response to her Mom's grin as we made our way out to the plane. Tank was left behind to run the company, which he's still pouting about, but Bobby and Cal were already speaking with the pilot. I slid my free arm around Steph, and enjoyed the feeling of Olive hugging my neck in-between murmuring random sounds conversationally as we all got ready to board.

We made it out of the hanger, but after only a few steps ... my phone was buzzing again. Steph lifted her eyebrows.

"Silvio," I told her, once I dug it out one-handed and checked the number.

"I wonder if he can direct me to the aspirin over the phone, since I'm getting instant headaches every time one rings now. It's never good news when he or another Rangeman-connected guy calls."

My instincts told me it wouldn't be good this time, either.


	83. Chapter 83

**All familiar characters are Janet's.**

"What do you have for me?" I asked the employee who remained one, just changed cities.

"I made a few calls to the people I know in law enforcement."

"You called your brother-in-law and his two brothers you mean?"

"I didn't say that, but I did just happen to get word that someone matching Tipple's description ..."

"Husband or wife?" I asked Silvio.

"Wife ... and she's not alive."

"Where?"

"Key West. The body was found in a park by a couple of hikers. How she was found suggests suicide. There's no sign of the husband."

No matter how much I didn't want to, having worked with every kind of law enforcement, from local police to the CIA, and everyone in-between and above them, if I look at this from a FBI BAU standpoint, I can see how these murders played out. George forces his wife to help him off her lover by threatening to kill her or other people she loves if she doesn't do whatever he says. He plans all along to murder her despite what she does or doesn't do, but he enjoys the prospect of torturing her for a little while longer. He reasserts his dominance over her and then kills her, or has her do the honors as punishment for Leo, and then leaves the Keys and heads to the Bahamas alone, already on the hunt for a new victim. Unfortunately, there's no shortage of sexual psychopaths in the world.

"Do 'the police' know to look for the husband and not waste time on something self-inflicted?" I said to Silvio.

"I might've mentioned there had been a love triangle and there's only one man left standing from it."

"Keep me updated."

All eyes were on me when I disconnected. "What now?" Steph asked.

"A body matching Suzy Tipple's was found in Key West."

"Sonovabitch," Kane muttered. "They made a pit stop?"

"Appears so. There's no George around, acting like the grieving husband."

"This has been a nightmare from the day Aubrey found about the affair," Harper said, "and it just keeps getting worse."

"Welcome to our life," Steph told her. "If I've learned _anything _... it's that things can _always _get worse."

"That's not very optimistic, Babe."

"Maybe not, but it's true."

I hugged my women to me. "Unfortunately it is."

"Looks like we'll be taking a detour as well," Kane said, looking at me for corroboration.

"Yes. We'll head to The Keys first and deal with the authorities there and see if Tipple makes an appearance again somewhere before The Bahamas."

"I've always wanted to be able to travel more, but not like this," Steph said, talking into the fuzzy pink jacket Olivia has on.

Leaving a Jersey winter for a tropical climate meant Olivia's outerwear will be removed on the plane. It was covering up a pink and white striped shirt and dark blue 'jeggings', with gray and pink lace-up, high-top crib shoes that look like heart-accessorized sneakers. They appeared like simple travel clothes, but Steph had wanted Olive's input on them. From the moment my mother took the pink monstrosity out of her shopping bag, my daughter as she sat with her arms and legs outstretched on her grandmother's lap, flashed us all a gummy grin, and leaned forward ... enthusiastically running the palms of her chubby little hands repeatedly over what I call the skinned-muppet jacket, so a cohesive outfit had to be created around it.

"It'll be okay," I tried to assure her.

"For _us_, yes, but not for these four families. They've all lost someone here."

I can't make this situation better, but I could make her feel better. "Death is everywhere, Steph, but so is life ... just look at Olivia and remember that."

**A/N: BAU stands for Behavioral Analysis Unit.**


	84. Chapter 84

**Ranger and Stephanie still belong to Janet.**

The temperature where we're headed is a comfortable seventy-eight degrees, and as much as we'd like to take Olivia on a tour, there's too much business to take care of. As we were in the air on our way to Key West, my Caribbean source called to tell me they have something I might be interested in. I reiterated that this is a _family matter _to me, and to not approach the ship unless Tipple had picked up a passenger. I want to take out the bastard myself.

When we landed, Kane had a plan of his own. "Harp has always wanted to see the Keys, so we'll hang here and clean up this part of the mess, and you and the Missus can go onto Long Island as planned. We'll meet you there. Hopefully by then, you'll have Tipple in 'custody' so I can have a few minutes alone with him."

"Not on my watch, honey," Harper warned him. "And you know I'm _always _watching you."

"Are you sure you want to stay behind?" Steph asked them.

"This has gone way beyond Leo being an asshole for cheating on a pretty amazing woman ... and truthfully, the less details I hear now the better. So as long as the temperature is above hyperthermic-range where we are," Harper told us, "I'm happy. I'm even happier to have my husband back with me."

Steph grinned. "You're thinking of having a second honeymoon before the baby comes, right? I remember that feeling."

"You'll have something similar in the Bahamas if you capture Tipple quickly. Aubrey is the one who suggested Kane and I take a few days off. She won't say it, but she's worried that if I'm too stressed during the pregnancy, the baby will come out of the womb ready for action like his or her daddy. I argued of course, but she's currently being smothered by family ..."

"We can help her by getting this wrapped up, and then we can enjoy some alone-time before our own family grows," Kane finished.

"That's what _we're _going to do," Steph said, "except ours already grew. And we're taking some extra family along with us."

"It's obvious that you're not suffering because you have a kid," he said, "so I'm really looking forward to the addition now instead of questioning how I'm going to deal with it."

"You both will be great parents," I added.

We were about to part ways for a few days when Harper nudged Kane.

"Ah, Sweetie?" She said to him.

"Yeah?"

"Before we go, aren't you forgetting something?"

"I don't think so. I don't have to kiss you goodbye, or call to tell you I'm going somewhere, since you're coming with me and I can kiss you all I want."

Her sigh was almost as well-honed as Steph's, and her smile is clearly as infatuated with her husband as Stephanie is with hers.

"What did you see the other day that reminded you of little Olivia?" Harper pressed.

"Damn, that's right." He hunkered down to dig through his carry-on. "Heads up," he said, tossing a box in Steph's direction.

I caught it one-handed and passed it to Steph before Olive could get her vise-like grip on it.

Harper not-so-gently pinched and twisted a chunk of skin on her husband's rib cage. "I told you to _hand _things to people, _not_ chuck it at their heads."

"Sorry," he said to the women. "Since Princess here liked playing with my cross, and for some reason you keep calling that beautiful baby girl '_Olive_', I saw this when I was buying Harp an 'I missed you like f-ing crazy' present."

"That's so sweet," Steph said at the same time Harper asked ... "Isn't he sweet?"

"It was ... and yeah I am," Kane replied. "Now let's drop it so you can open that. You can wear it for her until she's big enough to have it on without choking herself. I just wanted her to know that she has another honorary uncle, and you have another well-trained, but sometimes annoying guy who will always have your backs."

Steph glanced at me. "If I kiss his cheek, will you shoot him?"

"Yes, but only in the knee."

"I like Kane's legs the way they are," Harper said, "so we'll call this a kiss by proxy."

She kissed her husband's cheek and my wife did the same to me before taking the top off the jewelry box. Her eyes got shiny as she looked at the silver necklace. Connecting the two sides of the chain is a small, intricately sculpted branch containing leaves and four small olives. Kane is someone who fixates on details and he would be sure there is proper representation of everyone in my family, including Julie, with the number of silver olives the branch held.

"Not only is it a nod to little 'Olive' here, olive branches are a symbol of peace," Kane was saying to Steph and my daughter, who is already reaching for her new necklace, "and that's what you've given the man I've been lucky to be able to call my friend."


	85. Chapter 85

**Everybody and anything familiar belongs to Janet.**

Since we're flying privately, we didn't require a flight to Nassau to reach Stella Maris Airport on Long Island. It was a short flight from Florida and it was spent like the original one from Jersey had been ... with Steph, Olivia, and I, closed up in the bedroom area of the jet in case breastfeeding would be needed to help Olive's ears at take off. She and Steph handled both flights surprisingly well, and both were still in good moods by the time we landed and drove to the hotel.

I'm ready to end this, but I don't like leaving my ladies alone in a strange place with only one man watching them. Cal is coming with me while Bobby will be their personal bodyguard, chauffeur, and baby-girl-amuser, until I return. I don't believe in luck, but I have to admit ... we've had our fair share. I would've found Tipple regardless, but it might not have happened as quickly if he hadn't gotten cocky and cleaned up shop by eliminating his wife after Henry before disappearing. It also would've helped him if he hadn't picked corners of the world where I have various feelers already in place. Seeing a yacht isn't uncommon in a resort location, but having a multi-country agency with eyes scanning the water for a specific reason, person, or vessel, got me immediate results.

"Don't worry," Steph said, sensing my hesitation as we all stood in the hotel suite that will be the Manoso home base for our stay here, "Olive and I, along with Bobby I'm guessing, will have our own adventure here while you locate Tipple's tugboat."

I kissed my baby's temple, and the back of the tiny hand that was opening and closing in Cal's direction, before handing her back to her mother. I'd turned fast enough to catch Olivia's RangeUncle being the one instigating the waving hello/goodbye-motion.

"It's a yacht, Babe, not a tugboat."

"Yeah, well he deserves to be _tugged _from a boat by his ankle, not toasting himself with Mai-Tais on one."

She isn't feeling especially charitable at the moment, and it's always best to distract her before she goes into revenge-mode.

"How are you and Olive going to get into trouble here?" I asked.

"You know she's only tried applesauce so far ... and she was completely confused by it, so I thought we'd attempt something else from the stuff Ella helped me pack. Olive's likely going to actually crawl just to get away when she sees the spoon again."

"Maybe you should wait until I get back. We can make it part of a victory dinner."

She shrugged the shoulder our daughter didn't have her head lying on. "Sure. She _is _pretty cute even when she's shooting food out of her mouth at a distance that requires binoculars to find the area to clean. I wouldn't want to miss it, either."

I kissed them both and then Cal and I loaded up the equipment we'll need to subdue and apprehend this asshole. He's being caught today ... dead or alive.


	86. Chapter 86

**Everyone familiar belongs to Janet.  
**

This case is a good example of what my parents have done their best to teach every one of their children. If you have to work hard to acquire something; an A on a test in school, the purchase of our first cars with money we'd saved for years, a promotion at work, in my case ... a woman I never thought would love and accept me, we'd appreciate the accomplishment more than it just being handed to us. As I received more information on Tipple, it led me to believe that not only was he born fucked in the head, but coming from old money and having everything and everyone at his disposal his entire life, had him finding other ways to keep himself occupied. As we continue to dig, I'm sure we'll discover that Suzy Tipple and Leo Henry aren't his only victims.

I know from experience what contacts, power, and too-much money, can get you. If you don't have a clear sense of right and wrong, if not _legally _at least _morally_, it's going to fuck with your thinking until your arrogance and entitlement issues bite you in the ass and take you down, which they will in Tipple's case. Nothing his daddy can do can save him from me. I've willingly sacrificed half of my life to rescue and/or protect people, I won't just sit back and allow him to kill again.

Two hours and twenty-five minutes passed from the time we arrived on the island to when we got the answer to the question of how Tipple would be delivered to the police after Cal, I, and two OPBAT agents, descended on the too-quiet ship.

As we made sure each section we entered was clear, the uneasy feeling grew. There was no sign of Tipple, and the possibility that he could be waiting to ambush us had to be considered. But below deck, a specific smell alerted me to what we were about to find. Steph often jokes that my sense of smell is so advanced, I can tell when Olivia's diaper needs to be changed before she even does anything ... and I can't disagree. The rumors that I can 'sniff out' a skip are based on fact.

"Get every door and window open," I ordered the men. "_Now_."

They wasted no time when I told them to move. I didn't come all this way to get carbon monoxide poisoning before my vacation could even start. We didn't lay eyes on the sick SOB until we finally entered the cabin. The TV was on, eerily showing footage of the two murders. The flash drive that had been inserted into the TV is all the proof we need to close this chapter and mark two more crimes solved. If Tipple recorded one killing spree, he likely has evidence of others. The police now have the authority to raid his home, business, and family. If anyone else is out there suffering ... not knowing what happened to a loved one who moved in Tipple's circle, they could get answers as soon as the police are done sifting through all of George's shit.

It never fails to amaze me how people who are the devil incarnate end up getting caught or getting dead over something caused by their own stupidity. Had he not insisted on captaining a vessel he likely only got briefly schooled on, the dumb fuck might've even thought a Google search was adequate, he would've known to inspect the exhaust system every time before heading out, especially since he'd rented a boat from a company that has no problems choosing money over customer safety and their reputation. He'd also be ignorant of the dangers of leaving a gas generator running ... and he paid for his lack of knowledge with his life.

There was a crystal decanter by his bed only half-full now with what I'd guess is an overpriced scotch, considering the image he liked to project of the shining son of multi-generational real estate moguls ... when the Son of Sam is a much more accurate depiction of him. If he wasn't inebriated and riding a second high as he watched replays of his recent kills, he might've noticed the fumes funneling into his cabin. He didn't ... so he essentially carried out his own death penalty and saved taxpayers substantial money. Cockiness can kill just as effectively as a lethal injection, which he wouldn't have received even if he _had_ been found guilty. Jersey frowns on capital punishment these days, despite assholes like this who deserve to be put down.

I'm happy he's dead, but I regret that it wasn't in a more painful way. Had he been sucked into the yacht's motor and painstakingly ground into chum, or served as an appetizer for a school of hungry sharks, I would've felt a much stronger sense of justice. Locating him can be considered a victory, but to me it's a pretty fucking hollow one.


	87. Chapter 87

**All familiar characters still belong to Janet. The mistakes are mine alone. Thanks, MamaJoyce, for all the helpful info and 'interesting' visuals you provided. **

The murders were being played in their entirety on the OPBAT vessel we used to reach Tipple's rent-a-yacht. And we stood there watching the seized material as George Tipple pressed a pistol to Leo's forehead, sounding whiny when he told him ... '_You made this too easy_' before he pulled the trigger. Leo Henry fell dead in the shower stall and Tipple kept rolling as he forced Suzy to rinse the blood down the drain after he removed the body for transport. He resumed filming at the disposal site, and we had to see how he used the same gun to threaten his wife into mutilating her lover's body, instructing her to make him swallow it like she'd probably repeatedly swallowed him, or her niece would be the next person he kills.

In the same cabin where we discovered his body, we saw how he took pleasure in assaulting his wife and then he recorded - with obvious satisfaction - how he forced her to ingest a mouthful of pills in the park. The sick sonovabitch kept the video rolling as he viciously clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent her from spitting them out. Even if her body tried to save itself, she would've choked to death on her own vomit because he had no intention of leaving until she was dead. He spit on her body just before the screen went black.

He really was psychotic and not very bright. Not only did he use human beings as disposable toys, he keep a visual diary documenting his crimes. If he weren't dead already, he'd be dead right now at my hands. Just seeing an after-account made me feel unclean. Having to watch the cruelty inflicted on people who had no idea it existed before meeting George, I had to fight the urge to do a little mutilating myself. Seeing how peaceful the fucker looked in death, pissed me off in a way that terrified me.

"Fuck," Cal said in complete disgust. "It's been awhile since we've had to witness shit like this."

We've seen it all ... and still do when the nightmares begin again. This will be a trigger for another round, but we've all gotten better at dealing with them. We hadn't touched anything as we waited on the deck of our arrival transport for local authorities to appear, take over, and declare this a death due to overconfidence as well as incompetence. CO is odorless, but if you're familiar with how exhaust systems and/or engines work, you know what could go wrong with them even before the scent of death hits you. There are certain images and smells you never forget, and the scent of death is one of them no matter what happened to have caused it.

"You're coming back with me to see Olivia and Steph?" I asked Cal, knowing the grisly footage would hit him hard.

We've been together in parts of the world where this kind of brutality is an hourly occurrence, but if you're one of the lucky ones ... you never get used to it. No one would deem us _lucky _for finding such graphic evidence of perverted kills, but that we can still be affected by them is a welcome sign.

"I'll go for a walk on the beach first, then I'll head back."

"You alright?"

"I will be. It'll just take a few minutes. I don't want to scare Olive or worry Steph."

"You won't, but it's your call. If you're not back in twenty minutes," I warned, "Bobby and I, and no doubt Stephanie and Olivia, will come looking for you. So you'd better be breathing and smiling when we see you again."

It wasn't big, but there was a slight grin attempted. "I will. And I'll be back in less than ten."

"Good."

He needs peace and I need my family.


	88. Chapter 88

**Thanks to trhodes9 for the diaper-destruction discussion ... Olive definitely appreciated it. All familiar characters are Janet's. **

Olivia was enthusiastically scooting herself on her diapered-bottom across the section of floor between Bobby's boots when I made it back to the hotel. My daughter being like her mother, must have gotten impatient at not being able to move herself to her liking ... and improvised, using her legs and the momentum her flailing arms were generating, to navigate her current space. My entrance was silent, but everyone knew I was there as soon as a pair of beautiful brown eyes spotted me. My daughter made a beeline for her daddy, moving as fast as her legs and behind could get her.

"How's my girl?" I asked, as I scooped her up and kissed her innocent little face.

"Which one?" Brown asked. "I can say with complete authority that both females are a handful. The little one started doing that butt-shuffle-thing when I was trying to _patiently_ explain _again_ to the other one that you'd be fine even without her watching your back."

"Olive and I thank you for the compliment," Steph said. "It's not _our _fault that only certain men can handle us."

"There's only _one _man who can, Babe."

"Yep and I got him. I'm not sure if this is just a phase until the crawling kicks in, or if we're going to have to ask Ella to sew butt-protectors onto all Olive's clothes now. Hmmm, maybe we should just find a bunch of furry pants like her pink coat so we can cross sweeping the floors off our to-do list. I'm starting to get nervous now, because once she makes up her mind to do something ... there's _no_ stopping her."

"I wonder who she got that particular trait from."

"Clearly from _you_. At least staring in awe at her got my mind off what could be happening to you. And I managed to get my phone pointed at her right after she started scooting, so you didn't miss it. Where's Cal? Am I going to be happy that you found Tipple so quickly?"

"Cal needed a minute ..."

"Which means what you walked into wasn't good," she stated.

"Let's just say that a trial won't be necessary," I told her, kissing Olive's fingers as she half-covered my lips with them while trying to tell me about her day. Luckily, _unlike_ Stephanie ... Olivia will let me get away with a kiss, a few noises, and a grin, for answers to what she has to say. "I'll tell you about it later."

"Oh no."

"Tipple didn't deserve to live," I pointed out.

"I know, but the people he's hurt deserve to see him rot for it."

"The wife stepped out on him, and Henry cheated on his with her," Bobby reminded her. "These two murders, or at least _Henry's_, might not have happened if not for their affair. Tipple was dangerous as well as crazy, but Aubrey and the faithful husband she thought she had, could've been spared this."

"Believe me, I get that. You all know I hate guns, but I was seriously debating shooting Dickie. Thank God, I wasn't a bounty hunter then and didn't have a gun on me at the time ... or he and Joyce would've likely become plant fertilizer."

"I can still shoot him anytime," I offered. "Just give me the word."

She smiled. "It's wrong, but I still appreciate it every time you say that."

Olive laughed at something funny only to her, and her gummy smile lightened the mood. I felt even better when Cal knocked two minutes later.

"It's open," Steph called out.

"Why is the door unlocked?" Was what he asked, still battling multiple memories.

"Aside from having Terminator 1 and 2 here - so who'd be dumb enough to break in? - Ranger just got here himself and our daughter attacked him before he relocked it. You really don't have to worry, Olive can poke anyone's eye out if they get too close to her ... so we're safe."

"Can I test that theory?" Cal asked, glancing at my daughter, who looked especially enthralling wearing a coral-colored, flower-patterned jumpsuit now that completely covered her legs, but left her chubby arms bare.

"Yes. Just remember to bob and weave. Stephanie isn't kidding."

I kissed my daughter, passed her to her Uncle, and then reached for my wife. I have four Manoso women to center me when something like today happens. The least I can do is share my good fortune with my men who need them, too.


	89. Chapter 89

**All familiar characters belong to Janet. The mistakes are mine alone.  
**

Bobby and Cal amused my ladies while I made calls each to Tank and Kane. I didn't want to leave the room or my family, so I kept the details to a minimum. I stood on the other side of the 'entertaining area' of the suite, and watched as Cal kept hold of Olive and took up a position that has become a familiar one in the control room since my daughter was born. He sat down on the stone-colored, aptly-named _love _seat ... everyone in the room could feel the love he has for my baby. She will no doubt grow up to be a heartbreaker, but right now Olivia takes her role as a heart-_healer_ seriously. Despite her newfound way of seeing her world, she's content to sit still and be the bright spot against her Uncle Cal's black Rangeman t-shirt, as well as the ultimate bright spot in his life.

I wrapped up my conversations, but allowed Olive more time with her RangeUncles and let Steph tease Brown a little more about being afraid of sharks and his hesitation to swim here because of it. I thought back to my earlier wish that Tipple ended up inside the belly of one, so my humor proved to be much darker than my wife's. Bobby stole Olive for a kiss and Cal got a hug from Stephanie before they left to get themselves settled in their own rooms. I was sorry for the time alone only because I knew I'd have to share what we found today.

Since Olive can apparently move when she wants to now, we decided to keep her amused as we talked by the three of us stretching out on the king-sized bed with half of the toys we'd brought with us. We were comfortable with everything except the subject matter. I filled Steph in on the details I felt she could handle, leaving out what Tipple had been doing with his own anatomy as he watched the mutilation of someone else's.

"With this job," Steph said, after a few minutes of total silence once I stopped speaking, "I keep seeing the worst people can do to each other, but I'm still shocked by it. It never gets easier to hear or see."

"Consider it an extremely good thing that you can still be surprised and sickened by it," I advised her.

I took my eyes off her face as she processed that and directed my attention to the beautiful lightweight doing a version of push-ups on my chest. I'll never get over the trust Olivia and her mother have in me. I can keep an entire group of men alive just from the training I've lived through, but that I'm the man who makes these two happy ... surprises me more than the gore of some people's lives startles Steph.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," she told me. "I _should've_ been there, especially when it came to what happened to his wife. You guys can take a lot, but not some a-hole hurting someone defenseless."

"_I'm_ not sorry you weren't there for that."

Olivia distracted me from any unpleasant thoughts as she started talking herself by '_Bee-Bee'-ing_ me, which caused a bit of teething drool to land on my t-shirt. I used the short sleeve of my uniform shirt to wipe her mouth.

"You have no idea how hot that makes you look," Steph told me, while our daughter dragged her way to my face with her hands, elbows, and the tips of her toes.

"What did I do now?" I asked, letting my baby grab a small handful of hair from behind my ear and give me an extremely open-mouthed kiss to my chin.

She was slow in releasing me so my face is as damp now as hers was before I dried it.

"Just you letting Olive use you for a teething toy or a spit catcher is sexy as hell. I never thought that babies could be an aphrodisiac, but seeing the way you take care of ours definitely is."

"I'll have to do it more often if it produces those kind of results."

"Considering you run three cities among other things, I don't see how you can do more than what you already are. But I'm prepared to reward you creatively if you want to go ahead and try."

I know she's trying to replace the images in my mind of Tipple's dead body, and how Suzy and Leo became two more, with thoughts of her and I together. She knows she's the person I need when I have a bad day, and since she can't distract me in her usual way until Olivia is sleeping, she was producing mental visuals of our physical contact. With one hand spanning Olive's back, I rolled to my left slightly and kissed my wife. Our daughter was happy with the move since it got both of her parents within grabbing range.

"_Muh-muh, bee-bee_, _ba-duh_," she chanted in her own unique way, catching a fistful of Steph's curls and squealing at the prize she'd just acquired.

"Mama loves you and Daddy _soooo _much," she told our daughter, kissing Olive loudly without even wincing at the strain on her still-captured hair.

No matter what I've had to see or do, moments like these make every one of them bearable.


	90. Chapter 90

**Everything and everyone familiar belongs to Janet.**

Before Harper and Kane get here and we all head back to Jersey, Cal and Bobby joined Stephanie, Olivia, and I, in our effort to enjoy a short vacation away from all the shit we've been dealing with lately. My wife being the perceptive and compassionate woman she is, wanted all of Olivia's family, which she pointed out _always _includes Cal and Bobby ... and essentially every other person in my organization, to hit the beach together.

It didn't take me more than a millisecond to agree. I thought seeing Stephanie's face as she watched Olive's joy at experiencing something for the first time, would help wipe away the gruesome yacht discovery and multiple-murder recount for Cal. In the past, he and I have talked about how when he was twelve, he came home from school just in time to witness, but not be able to stop his mom from being shot dead by his estranged father. And years later, he and I swapped war stories about living through particularly brutal battles, and him having to _live with _flashbacks and nightmares of the ambush that took the lives of the 'family' he had pieced together during Basic after he lost what little he had of his biological one. We're both alive for a reason, and I was more than happy to supply him with a tangible one by hiring him when I started Rangeman.

Cal couldn't save everybody he loved, but I had pointed out that he could live a good life _for them _while helping those who still need a protector. Our clients and the other Range-Men filled that role until Stephanie ... then Olivia came into our lives. One of the most important things I've learned since I enlisted, is to pair every bad memory with something good so sanity can stay one step ahead of the horror. And I've passed that knowledge onto my men. Nothing in life is perfect or easy, but you can find a strength inside yourself to survive it if you're doing so in honor of someone else.

"You are not going to believe how freakin' adorable our baby is," Steph said, coming out of the bedroom with our smiling, babbling daughter on her hip.

"I _can _believe it," I replied. "She's as stunning as her mother is."

"See, Olive, the right guy says stuff like that to you and actually believes it's true."

"You can't argue with fact, Babe."

"Stop flirting with me and back me up by telling Olivia that she's the cutest thing ever created."

I kissed my wife and took our daughter, suspending her in mid-air above me. I never get tired of seeing her arms and legs moving excitedly in flight, while trusting me not to let anything happen to her even so many feet off the ground. I did an impromptu weightlifting session and moved her close enough to kiss, and then back out at arm's length. It's addictive how first she smiles, then makes happy girgling sounds, followed soon after with dimple-flashing laughs, just because we're nearby, playing with her, or talking to her. Olive's love of life is contagious.

"My daughters and my wife are all breathtaking, in looks and emotion."

"Well, _duh_, but this is different. We're _Beach _Babes today."

It's one of the Long Beach's warmer 'winters' and the sun was still out despite us waiting until it was cooler outdoors. Olive's one-piece swimsuit, which will be more of a _sit on a parent under a canopy, splash the water occasionally_, suit is cute as well as functional. I'd expected Steph to choose black and white - always a popular choice - but she went the opposite route and picked something red and pink.

Olivia's beautiful just breathing, so I don't care about clothing options as long as she's wearing appropriate ones, but even my heart stopped seeing the red and pink hearts that mimicked leopard print covering the white swimsuit. She is my heart, so the one affixed to the two-toned pink and red ruffle near her shoulder was fitting. Olive's also wearing a matching three ruffle skirt that made it seem more like an outfit than a bathing suit, which I definitely approve of. And Steph had added a pair of tiny white sandals that had the edible baby toes sand-ready. To complete the 'Beach Babe' look, and to work with the sunscreen and canopy to protect our baby from the sun, my wife had completely mystified our daughter by securing a floppy, white hat onto her wavy, dark-haired head.

They are obviously ready for a day at the beach, but I doubt the beach is ready for them.


	91. Chapter 91

**All familiar characters are Janet's. **

"I can see why you needed backup," Bobby said to me.

"Yeah," Steph responded, saving me the trouble of answering, "you guys can handle the fallout from cuteness-overload. I know I did at least two things very right in my life ... Olive is tied with her Daddy for the top spot."

"The Boss isn't only worried about our Olive-pit," Cal added.

"Don't _you _start using Lester's nickname for her. My baby is too cute for words ... and there is nothing good or cute that involves _a pit_," she stated.

"What about '_Pit_'bulls? I've heard you say they're cute, especially the puppies."

"Cal's got you there, Steph," Brown added. "And they're _good _dogs if they have decent owners. '_Pit_' crews are also helpful if you have a tendency to blow out - or up - your cars."

She once again caught Olivia's little hand that had gone back to trying to remove the hat from her head. Julie had been the same way. Shoes, socks, mittens, and hats, were on the enemy list.

"You know how I've been trying to prepare you for life with these guys?" She asked our daughter, as if Olive would answer her. She did answer her Mama, but not in easily translatable words. "Well, don't try to outsmart them in _any _sense of the word or you'll get sucked into conversations like this one where they obnoxiously point out why they're right."

Both men are amused, but only one laughed. Cal's getting there, but it takes more than five minutes with Stephanie to block out everything bad. Sometimes it takes _nine _minutes with both her and Olivia. My mind is centered on the conversation, but my eyes are very much wandering all over my wife. She wasn't trying for sexy, but that's all I see. Her bathing suit is black and covered all of her front, but her back is completely bare with just two straps looped around her shoulders to keep her treasures hidden. Over it, she put on a pair of small white jean shorts and slipped some flip-flops on her feet. She doesn't have to purposely try to make men look, they do it all on their own. I made a mental note to add a silencer to the beach bag.

"We're also right about you needing extra security today," Bobby said. "Your husband is too busy staring at you to pay attention to your surroundings."

"You know better than anyone that I can multitask," I told him. "That very ability has saved your ass a time or two."

"Or _twenty_," he muttered.

"My hubby is looking because I'm holding his daughter who keeps shooting him '_I love you'_ smiles." She glanced down at herself. "I'm still a little squishy in some areas, but between Ella's cooking and visiting you guys in the gym, I'm getting there."

"You're perfect now, Babe. There's no '_getting there_'. As for your other comment, Cal was holding Olivia and I wasn't staring at _him_."

"Though I've tried to keep them contained today, it's just the bigger boobs that have you saying that."

"That never hurts," Bobby stupidly said.

I'm beginning to think Kane's influence on my men will remain long after he does.

Steph just rolled her eyes and covered Olive's so I could hit Brown's 'off' button', which happens to be situated behind a solid wall of muscle in his midsection. No surprise, his laughing-grunt assured me that I'd again located the right spot to shut him up.

Stephanie kept hold of our daughter and I got her and Olivia's things. We won't be gone for too long, but we've discovered having almost everything on hand makes life with a baby easier. I locked up behind the five of us and stashed the foldable canopy, beach bags, and cooler, in our rental as my men got into a similar vehicle. We all need a bright spot to remember this trip by ... and Gordon's Beach is going to be it.


End file.
